


Echo's Freedom

by TheGriefPolice



Category: Original Work
Genre: ABDL, Almost drowning but not really, Art, Child Abuse, Complete, DC comics - Freeform, Daddy Issues, Dead Character, Deaf, Diapers, Echo needs a hug, Evryone gets a little hurt, Families of Choice, Football, Healing, Hospitals, Hurt, It only took me nine months too, Kicked out for being gay, M/M, Minor Character Death, Nail Polish, Non-Sexual Age Play, Not all is as it seems, Past Abuse, Superman Fanboy, Twins, blankies, fears, pools, trip to new york
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-23
Updated: 2017-02-07
Packaged: 2018-06-10 06:18:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 83
Words: 121,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6943303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGriefPolice/pseuds/TheGriefPolice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After an incident with is roommate, Echo is forced to move back to his home town and ask his twin brother, Elliott, for help. What he wasn't expecting was to find solace in his brother's roommate in ways he never realized.<br/>Follow along for all the twist and turns as Kace and Echo grow into more than just friends.<br/>(This is also posted on my DeaviantART, so if you've read it there I promise this is still me.)</p><p>Chapters may still be added but will probs not have much of a plot and just be extras, so, yes, the plot is done, but fluff will happen every now and then.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> This has ABDL theams. Readers have been advised. There is also mention of abuse, rape, and other such sinarios through the story. I will try to warn you when they are there, but understand that I am not perfict and may forget.  
> Enjoy!

Echo stumbled out onto the field looking around for jersey number 24. Elliott always had a fondness for that number and had requested it when he was accepted into an NFL league. They, due to the fact that he was first pick, had happily agreed. Elliott was now leading the team as quarterback after a year of playing for them. His twin was quite a man.  
Echo, on the other hand was lanky and skinny, compared to his twin, they had nothing in common beside the fact that they shared a face. They were supposed to be identical, but it was clear which was which by the time they hit middle school.  
Their mother leaving had taken a toll on Echo, but Elliott never seemed to notice she was gone. Echo was a good three inches shorter than his brother by seventh grade, making people think they were younger and older brother and not twins. Echo leveled off at 5'3" where his twin went on and hit 5'10, making the difference even more notable in high school. Echo had alway though it was funny how someone he was supposed to be identical to could looks so different from him.  
Echo watched as the ball was thrown around between men, unable to see the jersey numbers from the ground as most of the men towered over him. No one paid him much mind as he walked around the edge of the field, trying to see over the men as the green, yellow, and blue jerseys blended together.  
He nearly gave himself whiplash as a man put a hand on his shoulder. All Echo could see was a silhouette of a large man with strong hands as he was dragged away from the feild and toward enviable doom.  
Echo fought the man off as he was pulled along, unable to make him let go of his shirt. He was pulled to another man who looked just as fierce, than pushed down so he would sit on the bench. The sunlight was warm against his arms and face, causing sweat beads to form on his brown as he looked up at the two men. One was wearing a white collared shirt while the other wore the teams logo on his, a clipboard in his hand as he looked Echo over.  
"What do you want, kid?" The one with the sport's logo on his shirt asked.  
Echo felt himself shaking in his shoes. He held up a hand and flashed a two, then a four. Not traditional, but effective.  
The man scowled, looking Echo up and down once more before turning around and waving one of he players over.  
Sure enough, jersey number 24 started jogging towards them. "What's up?" He asked.  
"Kid snuck onto the field. Guess he wants your signature or something. Just give it to him and get back to practice." The man Echo was now assuming was the coach said.  
Echo shook his head, standing up only to be pushed back into his seat by the guy in white.  
He watched as Elliott pushed the guy in white off of him. The guy in white scowled and yelled something Echo didn't hear, but then saw Elliot as he said, "Dude, that's my brother and he's deaf. Yell at him all you want, you'd probably get more out of a brick wall!"  
Echo tried to hide a smile as Elliott said the same thing he'd said since they were young and the kids would pick on him.  
You okay? He signed.  
Echo nodded his head.  
Where's your hearing aid? He asked, then pulled him off the bench and back to his feet.  
Echo's eyes went wide. He'd forgotten all about that. He hated wearing the damn thing, but it was the only way he was going to get anything done today. He reached into his pocket and pulled it out of its case and slid it into his ear, turning it on and wincing when it was too high. He adjusted the level then looked up at his brother.  
"Sup" He asked.  
"What's up?" Elliott laughed. "What's up is that coach almost called the cops and you're the reason why. What's up with you? Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"  
Echo shrugged. If it didn't happen, he didn't care. "I need to ask a favor."  
"I'm really sorry about that, man. I didn't now your younger brother would be coming and I just thought he was some nosey kid." The man in white said.  
"We're twins!" Echo nearly yelled. "I'm twenty four for god's sake."  
"Twenty three." Elliot corrected. "And don't snap at him. It's your own fault. I'm sorry Kace. He's usually not this temperamental."  
"You shut up too. And what kind of name is Kace?" Echo said.  
"You shut up, you twerp." Elliott said, smacking Echo upside the head lightly. "Kace, this is Echo, my brother. And why he's here is still a mystery to me."  
Echo's hand went up to his head where Elliott smacked him. He hadn't meant it to be hard, but it still kind of hurt. "I need a favor." He said.  
Kate still couldn't really see how they were twins. "Are you fraternal twins?" He meant to say in his head but ended up asking out loud by mistake.  
"No, we're identical." Elliott laughed, putting his large toned arm over Echo's shoulders. "What do you need, bro."  
"I can't stay with my roommate anymore. Can I please crash on your couch or something?" He asked.  
"Well, yeah. You're always welcome. What happened with your roommate?" Elliott asked, concerned. "You two get in a fight or something?"  
"It's nothing important, I just don't want to be there any more." Echo said. "So I can stay with you?"  
"Yeah, of course. You can take one of the spare rooms." Elliott said, patting his brother on the arm.  
"One of?" Echo asked, his brow tight.  
"Oh, yeah. We really need to talk more, don't we." Elliott laughed. "I got a place not too long ago. It's just a little thing. But, you're welcome to one of the rooms."  
Echo could feel a large weight come off his chest. "Thank you." He sighed, feeling his muscles loosen up a bit.  
"No problem bro. Hey I got to get back to practice, but if you want, go ahead and take my keys and head over. I'll catch a ride with one of the guys." He rummaged through his bag on one of the benches and produced a key then threw towards his twin.  
'It's the same old truck. Careful with it, okay?"  
"Yes, okay, thanks!" Echo smiled as he caught the keys. He shook them once, looking for the key to the man's old pickup truck.  
Kace held back a laugh at the kid's reaction, going back to work.


	2. 2

Echo found the tuck quickly and drove to his brother's house. Elliott had given him directions to the place, but Echo still had to stop and ask at a fe points. "Really? This is just a small place? God, bro. You're really living it up, aren't you." Echo yelled at his brother like he could hear.

To say the place was big would have been the understatement of the century. It had a four car garage, which was where Echo pulled the truck up to, hitting a button on a small remote that opened up one of the doors. He pulled the truck into the garage and parked it, slamming the door before grabbing his duffle bag from the back. He walked up to the front door and unlocked it, going inside and closing the door and throwing his duffle bag down.

The place was bright with light as it came in through many of the windows and lit up the whole house as it reflected off the bright colored walls. It took a second for Echo's eyes to adjust as he walked through the house, claiming a room at the top of the stairs. He closed the blinds and flopped down on the bed, ready to sleep for the next week. It had not been an easy parting with his last roommate, ending with Echo picking nothing more than a duffle bag of clothes before he hopped a bus in search of his brother. 

He sighed as he remembered the situation and fell deep into the pillows. He fell into an unintentional sleep until he heard the door close loudly and someone shout his name.

"Echo!" Elliott yelled. "Bro, I swear, if you took out your hearing aide again I'll superglue it to your head and turn it all he way up until you lose the other five percent you have!"

Echo could hear as his brother jogged up the stairs and came to his door. "You better not superglue anything." He moaned getting up from the bed.

"Ah, so you can hear me. Cool. Come on, we got pizza." Elliott slapped the door twice before walking back down the stairs. 

Echo groaned, but followed along, padding down the stairs and into the kitchen where three pizza boxes sat. "Did you get--"

"Sausage? Yeah, 'course. Top box. All you, bro." Elliott said, grabbing a few plates from the shelf and sitting them down. "Here you go."

Echo smiled. They may not have talked in a while, but Elliott still remembered the small things. "Thanks. Are you going to eat two pizzas?"

"Ha, no. I could probably get to one and a half before I'd puke. No, the other one's for my house mate." Elliott stacked half of a pizza onto a plate and walked over to the breakfast table.

"You have a house mate?" Echo asked. He'd never known his brother to be compliant with someone who didn't play football.

"More like a bum." Kace said, walking into the room dressed in a light blue shirt that showed off his muscles. "What's up?"

Echo eyed him as he stacked a plate and sat down next to Elliott. "I didn't know you lived with anyone."

"Yeah, he doesn't really live here. He lives in the pool house." Elliott said, gesturing to a double glass door. "We met at work. He said he was looking for a place. I got plenty of room so I told him my door was open. You should meet his dog."

Echo went wide eyed. "You have a dog?"

"Yeah, a Golden. He's super cool, so don't worry about him. He doesn't really come into the main house." Kace said, taking a bite of food.

"Oh yeah, I forgot. He's none too found of dogs. He was chased by one when he was younger and hasn't liked them since." Elliott said. 

"I wasn't chased." Echo whined. "I was attacked. I still have the scar from where it bit me!"

"It's on your ankle, for Christ sake. It was a freaking two pound thing from an old lady down the road." Elliott teased. "And the scar is, like, a little peck."

"It was vicious." Echo said, finally sitting down at the table. "The thing never shut up."  
Kace laughed lightly. "Well, Jake would never hurt anyone. I'll introduce you after dinner."

"Good luck getting him anywhere near any dog." Elliott laughed.

Echo stuck his toung out at his brother and went back to his pizza.

After dinner, Kace was true to his word. "Come on, I'll introduce you. I promise I won't let him hurt you."

Echo really would rather not, but Kace seemed determined to get the boy to meet his dog. Echo followed along through the double glass doors and out to the yard. A large jellybean pool filled the space between the main house and the guest one, where Echo's enviable doom sat. He waited for Kace to unlock his door and followed him through.

A large brown ball of fur barked from the other room, causing Echo's hair to stand on end. 

"Hey there bud." Kace said, kneeling down to pet the dog as he ran up. Echo backed away a few steps as the dog barked and jumped up onto Kace.

Echo shoved himself against the wall as the dog came over and sniffed him. Kace couldn't help but think how cute he looked pushed against the wall and scared out of his whits. Kace walked up to him and grabbed a hand. "Just relax a bit, okay. He's not going to hurt you" 

Echo let the man take his hand, but didn't let his arms straighten out. Kace didn't let up as he put the boy's hand on the dog's head. Echo kept his eyes closed until his hand touched something soft and then they snapped open. Kace was rubbing his hand up and down the dog's back.

'See, he's really cool, isn't he?" Kace said, watching as the boy's face transferred from fear to wonder.

"He's soft." Echo smiled, crouching down to pet the dog on his own. Kace smiled, walking farther into the house.

"Come on, I'll get you something to drink." He said, watching as Echo followed him in. Jake padded along happily behind them. "What would you like?" He asked.

"Oh, uh, do you all have any juice?" Echo asked as Jake nuzzled his hand. He smiled and keeled down to pet him better.

"Apple or orange?" Kace asked, pulling out a cup for him.

"Apple." Echo said, standing up as Kace poured the liquid and passed it over to him. Echo smiled his thank you.

"So, the hearing aides." Kace started. "Elliott mentioned something about his brother being deaf a while back, but it didn't really stick. I forgot all about it."

"Elli talks about me?" Echo asked, pulling his leg up and sitting on them.

"You call him Elli?" Kace joked, realizing how both the boy's had very feminine names. 

"You don't?" Echo asked seriously.

"Okay, how about a different questions. How did you two end up so different?" Kace asked.

"Oh, uh... Well, it just kind of happened I guess." Echo took a swig of juice before continuing. "One day, we're the same hight and build. The next, he's got half a foot on me and is ripped."

"Well, that's got to be weird." Kace sighed. "So, what do you do for a living?"

"I kind of just freelance. People need temp workers and I fill in until they have full time ones. Never really had a job for an extended time. It's gotten me the nickname Jack because I can do pretty much anything. What about you?"

"Me? I'm an equipment manager. I keep track of all the pads and stuff. Mostly I order new footballs." Kace smiled. "Why Jack?"

"Oh, Jack of all trades. You know. Master of none." Echo looked own into his cup, twirling it around a bit.

"But it's better to know a little of all things than to only know all of one." Kace said.

"Huh?" Echo asked, looking over at the man.

"That's the full phrase. 'Jack of all trades, mater of none; but it's better to know a little of all things than to only know all of one.'" Kace smiled. "I've always liked that phrase."

Echo gave a small smile. "I didn't know that."

Kace thought his real smile was much cuter than the one he put on for other people. "Well, I'm going to go and take a shower. You're welcome to stay and play with Jake if you like."

"Really?" He asked, looking over at the dog.

"Yeah, I don't mind. Be back in a bit." With that, Kace got up and went into the bathroom, leaving Echo and Jake alone in the kitchen.

Echo smiled down at the dog as he sat the glass on the counter and crawled down from his seat, going to play with the pup. "You're not so bad, I guess. But lots of dogs are, so I still don't like 'em." He rubbed the dog's head as he walked off to the living room. Echo followed behind and laid down next to him, rubbing his tummy and using him as a pillow as he drifted off to sleep in the dog's warmth.

Kace came out to find the boy asleep on his dog, and not knowing what else to do, got dressed before trying to move him. "For someone who was so afraid of dogs, you fell asleep really fast on one." He laughed.

Kace lifted the boy up, shifting his weight before putting him down on the couch. "Seep well bud."


	3. Chapter 3

Echo didn't remember falling asleep when he woke up on the couch. He rubbed hid eyes, still tired but cold and wanting a blanket. He walked sleepily back to the house, Kace spotting him and walking with him. "Hey, you up?"

Echo nodded his head no as he fumbled with the door knob. It wan't turning and he couldn't figure out why until Kace pulled out a key and slipped it in, turning it and opening the door. Echo moaned a thanks and walked into the house, tripping over the threshold. Kace caught him before he hit the floor.

"Wo, hey, you okay?" Kace asked as he put Echo back on his feet.

Echo nodded, rubbing his eyes and leaning towards Kace, who picked him up and carried him up the stairs. Echo leaned into the man as he was carried to his room. Kace sat him down on the bed, covering him with a throw blanket from bottom of the bed.

When Kace came out of the room, he ran into Elliott, who gave him a cocked eyebrow. "Dude, I know how you swing, but my brother? Really?"

Kace's face went red. "Dude, come one. It's not even like that. He passed out on my floor and was tripping all the way back here. I just made sure he didn't kill himself on the stairs."

Elliott laughed and gave him a slide smiled. "Suuure." He joked. "How'd he do with Jake?"  
"Oh, uh, he, he did really well. I think he kind of likes him." Kace tried to keep the image of Echo asleep on the dog out of his mind, failing and blushing once more. He hopped Elliott couldn't see as he picked at something on his shirt.

"Really? Wow. How'd you get him to not freak out?" He asked, noting the blush but not mentioning it.

"Oh, he did." Kace laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "Just kind of forced his hand." Now he had to not think about how soft Echo's hand felt in his, this time only succeeding in not blushing as hard.

"Ah, wow. Cool." Elliott smiled. "He's never gone around a dog since then. Cool that you got him to actually touch Jake. Anyway, I got to head in early tomorrow for a review with the board. Do you mind making sure he gets a decent meal in the morning? He doesn't take care of himself well."

Kace thought better of mentioning to his house mate that his brother had fallen asleep on the dog and nodded. "Yeah, no problem."

"Thanks." Elliott smiled and headed down the hall once more.

"Hey, uh," Kace started. He had so many questions, none of which could be formed into actual words at the moment. "Never mind. See you later."

"Yup. 'Night." Elliott walked back to his room as Kace did the same. "Don't sleep in too late. Echo won't get up until noon if you don't make him."

Kace nodded and trotted off to his room. This night was a lot more than he had expected.


	4. Chapter 4

The next day, Kace woke up to his alarm blaring. He fumbled around trying to hit snooze, being unsuccessful until he took his head off the pillow and hit the alarm hard. He moaned as he saw the time in bright green letters and his radio turned on.

"Good morning, Glacier County!" The host sing-songed. "We are true to our name today as we hit temporaries in the high 90's with a low of 85."

"Ha! Good one Lou. Who thought to name a southern city Glacier anyway?" Another voice chimed in.

"Probably some sarcastic ass." A lady laughed. All of the voices in the booth laughed as the morning news was stated.

Kace threw his feet over the bed and onto the floor, yawning as he tried to wake up. He didn't have to go in until later, so why he was waking up this early was beyond him. Then it hit him that he had been asked to make sure Echo ate and was awake at a decent time. He sighed away another yawn and stood up, making his way slowly to his kitchen to brew some coffee. Hey switched filters and put the machine back together to brew and slipped on shoes to walk to the main house.

He turned the key and slipped through the door, closing it lightly and making his way up the back stairs to Echo's room. He knocked twice to see if the boy was awake before entering. When there was no response, Kace turned the knob and opened the door to reveal a dim room. 

The blinds were shut, only allowing a small amount of light through from the large windows. Kace choose to open one of them before waking Echo, and twisted the bar before saying, "Hey, Echo, time to get up, come on. Let's get something to eat."

When Echo didn't stir, Kace sighed and walked over to the bed where the kid was sprawled out. "Hey man, come one." Again, Echo didn't move, so Kace put a hand on him and shook lightly.

No sooner had Kace put his hand on the boy as his eyes shoot opened and he jumped back. The sighed of a large figure looming over him scarring him and sending a rush of adrenaline through his veins. He jumped up from the bed on the other side and stood defensively, waiting for a fight. As the room came into focus, he could see Kace looking freaked out on the other side of the bed, his mouth moving but nothing getting to Echo's ears.

Kace was not expecting Echo to shoot up like that, and, afraid he'd scared him, held his hands out to show there was nothing he could hurt him with. "Wo, it's okay man. Look, nothing to hurt you with." He thought about his muscles as the scrawny boy stood in front of him. Well, besides the fact that I'm three times your weight and more built, he thought.

Echo was still breathing heavy, giving his body time to work the adrenaline out. He took steady breaths, counting in his head. When he finally looked up once more, Kace was looking at him oddly. Echo still couldn't hear him and reached his hand up for his hearing aide, but found nothing. Echo sighed and started to sign that he dint have his aide and couldn't hear him when he realized Kace couldn't sign and settled on pointing to his ear and shrugging his shoulders.

Kace understood and pointed down towards Echo, who's head went down to see what the man was pointing out. A large patch of something was between his legs. It wasn't until then that Echo realized it was wet and cold. He shivered a bit as he realized what had happened, then his stomach turned to knots as he tried to form words, the sounds coming out slurred and almost inaudible.

"I--I, it's," Ugh, why did he have to be born deaf! He couldn't form a sentence at all! God damn it!

Kace could tell this wasn't Echo's shinning moment and walked over to him as he fell over and moaned in annoyance. He started pounding on the floor, annoyed at himself and his bad luck and Kace tried to tell him it was okay, then realized that he couldn't hear and instead put his finger and thumb together in an O with the other three fingers sticking up in a basic "Okay," hoping his face would say the rest.

Echo looked at him like he was crazy, but understood. He tried to push tears back as Kace searched around for the little device, finding it on the bed and giving it to Echo. Echo had a hard time getting his hand steady enough to grub the small device and put it in his ear. He flipped the switch on and looked up at Kace.

"Sorry." He said lightly.

"Dude, it's cool. Not your fault." Kace said, helping Echo to his feet. "Hey, shouldn't you have two of those? One for each ear?"

"Oh, uh, yeah, normally." Echo said, trying hard to cover the wet spot.

"What happened to it?" Kace saw the boy wiggling slightly and realized he was still standing in pee soaked pants. "Oh, I'm--I'm sorry, bro. You get changed and take a shower. I'll start making something to eat."

Kace averted his eyes as he backed out of the room. He walked down stairs and could hear the shower turn on as he started up the stove. He was finished with the bacon and had started the eggs by the time Echo made it down stairs and sat down at the island. He laid his head down on his arms and sighed.

"I lost it." Echo sighed.

"Huh?" Kace asked, turning around. "Oh, your other hearing aide? How'd you lose it?" He took the pan of scrambled eggs and distributed them onto plates, adding bacon to the side before setting them in front of Echo and an empty seat.

"I just... Did." He lifted his head and poked at the eggs with his fork.

"Okay..." Kace stretched out the word, understanding that Echo didn't want to talk about it. "Well, what about the thing this morning? That ever happened before?"

"You ask a lot of annoying questions." Echo said, sighing and laying his head down on his out stretched right arm as he fiddled with his fork in his left.

"Well, you are very strange. Your brother doesn't talk about you much, but enough formed to know the gist of you two." He took a bite before continuing. "You two weren't born here, but moved ere after your mom left. Your dad was a drop out and you raised each other. You only made it through school because of Elliott teaching you sign and getting people to pitch in to get you your hearing ides after your dad walked out completely and you needed a new pair. But after that, all I hear about your brother in college. Mostly the parties."

Echo let a large puff of air out. "He only did that fundraiser because a girl he liked suggested it." He sat up and spooned some egg into his mouth. "And why do you care?"

"I kind of live with the guy. We talk a lot. And drink. Yet he's never drunk enough to go back further than his second year in high school." Kace said, remembering the time he'd gotten so drunk he just asked, but ended up not being able to form a single straight thought before he threw up all over Elliott's shoes. "Figured I could get some insight."

"If Elli isn't telling you, there's a reason. And I'm not going against it." At this point, Echo gave up completely on eating and pushed his plate back. "Thank's for the food. I've got sheets to clean."


	5. Chapter 5

Kace frowned as he notice Echo hadn't eaten more than three bites before he walked off. "Hey, you should really eat more."

"Not hungry." Echo moaned.

"Okay," Kace sighed. "You don't have to worry about the bed, the caretakers will get it."

Echo sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Will you just leave me alone, please. It's been a rough week and I really just want to sleep." He took his hearing aide out of his ear and sat it on the counter, officially ending the conversation.

Kace sighed and gave up on trying to get the boy to listen to anything. Instead, he went back to the pool house and leashed Jake to take him for a walk. Jake seemed a little reluctant to leave once they got close to the main house, unusual for the dog. "Come one, bud, let's go to the park." Jake still wouldn't move, pulling towards the sliding glass doors into the main house. Kace sighed, giving in and letting the dog lead him trough the house and upstairs to Echo's room where he pawed at the door.

With another sigh, Kace opened the door to find the sheets thrown on the floor and Echo sprawled out on the bed. Jake pulled against the lead and Kace unhooked him, letting Jake craw up onto the bed and lay next to Echo.

Echo didn't notice that anyone was in the room until Jake nuzzled against him. Echo assumed the dog had just found it's own way into his room and didn't move to look anywhere else as the dog leaned against him before plopping down and putting it's head next to Echo's. He put an arm around the fuzz ball and buried his face in the fur.

Kace watched the ordeal from the doorway, feeling like it would be wrong for him to come into Echo's room without the boy knowing. He could hear as Echo let go of a few sobs, grabbing a fistful of Jake's fur before finally settling down and falling asleep.

Kace sighed and called Elliott.

He picked up on the third ring. "This is Elliott."

"Hey man, He got up, ate about three bites and just fell back asleep."Kace informed him as he closed the door to Echo's room and leaned against the wall and squeezed his nose bridge.

"Shit, that's not good." Elliott was in the middle of practice and had to sneak off to answer his phone. "Hey, this is going to sound like a weird question, but did you see him this morning?"

"What do you mean?" Kace asked.

Elliott sighed. "God, he's going to kill me later. Did he wet the bed?"

Kace had to admit he was a little freaked out that he had just asked flat out like that, but not wanting to lie he said, "Yeah, I think so."

"Shit shit shit shit shit." Was all he said. Kace had never rally heard Elliott curse before, but the fact that he just heard it several reasons times in the past 30 seconds meant something really bad was up. "Can you please just keep an eye on him for the rest of the day? I'll tell coach that you got sick or something, but please, just don't let him sleep all day."

"What? Why? Elliott, what's wrong?" Kace glanced towards the door.

"Look, Echo isn't really the most, I don't know how to describe it--Motivated?--guy in the world. He get's his energy from other people. When he's been around a person for a long time, his entire demeanor changes for that person. Only, he doesn't take rejection by that person very well. That's probably what happened with his room mate. Just keep him awake and make him do something to take his mind off it until get home. Please?"

"Okay, but I'm still confused." Kace said, already reaching for the door knob to open Echo's door.

"I'll explain it more later. But you'll do it?" Elliott asked, a whistle coming through the phone. "I got to go."

"Yeah, of course. Babysitting, my favorite thing." Kace half joked.

"Thanks, bro. Talk to you later." With that, the line went dead and Kace walked back into Echo's room.

"Hey, Echo, come on man, let's go do something." He said, opening back up one of the windows. He then realized that talking to a guy who couldn't hear was pointless and went down stairs to grab his hearing aide off the counter before walking upstairs and putting it as best he could into the kid's ear and turning it on. "Echo."

Echo's eyes popped open at the sudden blast of sound. "Dude, just let me sleep." He whined and turned over to the other side, letting go of Jake who was annoyed at the movement.

"Nope, come on, let's go walk Jake or something." Kace said, patting the boy's leg twice with the back of his hand. "Come on, get up."

Echo moaned and sat up against the head board. "Why are you bothering me so much?" He asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Because I can. So, what do you want to do?" Kace asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Sleep."

'Besides that." Kace laughed a bit, trying to raise the mod. "Wanna go for a walk with Jake?"

Echo sighed. "Too hot to be outside."

"Well, then we can go swimming. Come on, do you have any trunks?" He stood up and grabbed Echo's duffle bag, throwing it at him. "It that all you have?"

"I don't age any trunks and yes. Didn't have time to grave all m stuff when I was kicked out." He kicked the duffle bag as it landed next to his foot.

'Well then, let's go to the store. We can get you some new stuff okay?" Kace opened another window as Echo's threw his feet over the edge of the bed.

"I don't need any new stuff and I don't have money for anything right now." He'd barely had enough for the bus ride into town.

"Then we can barrow some from Elliott. He won't mind. Let's go. Put your shoes on and we can get going." Kace threw his old sneakers at him, landing it next to him on the bed. "Maybe we can stop somewhere and get new hearing aides."

Echo sighed, giving up on getting the man to leave him alone. "You sure Elli won't mind?"

"He told me that if you need anything to just use his card. I don't think that having three shirts and a pair of jeans in a duffle bag counts as a wardrobe, so you need clothes." Kace said, able to see into the bag when he threw it. "Do you have any clean underwear or socks."

Echo chose not to answer. Truth was that he didn't. His only pair of underwear were now mixed in with the pee soaked sheets and his other pair of jeans. He put on his shoes without socks and stood up, fixing his hair as best he could in the mirror. He followed Kace to the garage wordlessly and hopped into Kace's beat up Ford truck. "This thing looks older than me." He said as he buckled himself in.

Kace let out a laugh as he turned around to back up. "No, you have a few years on it. But close." 

They drove the rest of the way to the store in silence with nothing but the radio to keep the silence from bothering Kace. He pulled the truck into a spot and jumped out, slamming the door before walking towards the entrance, Echo following closely behind.

"What size do you wear?" Kace finally asked as they walked to the men's section of clothes.

Echo shrugged. He couldn't remember the last time he's gotten any new clothes. And he felt bad using Elliott's money for it.

Kace sighed and turned Echo around, lifting up his shirt and flipping the hem of his jeans to see a tag. "Hey! What are you doing?" Echo squealed as Kace shifted his grip to see the numbers on the tag better.

"Getting your size. Stop wiggling." Kace said. Echo did as he was told and was then releases. "Dude, you're wearing kids jeans."

"Well, they're all that fit!" Echo said through clenched teeth.

Kace had to hold back a laugh at Echo's outburst that left his face den and his fists clenched tight as his sides. "I wasn't making fun. Was just saying. We're in the wrong section. Come on." He turned Echo around and gave him a light push towards the kid's section.

Echo huffed, but walked over to the jeans as Kace pulled a few off the shelf and held them up to the boy's waist. He held up a few different pairs before throwing them into the cart. "We can't try them on because your commando. We'll get some underwear and bring them back if the don't fit. Let's look at shirts."

Echo blushed at his commando comment but followed behind, keeping a few steps back as the walked around. He saw a shit out of the corner of his eyes and stopped to look at it. It was Superman standing tall on a cliff over looking a sunset. Kace saw him stop and pushed the cart to the side of the isle before going back and asking, "You like Superman?"

Echo blushed as he looked over his shoulder to see Kace standing there. "No!" He said, putting his hands back in his pockets and slouching.

"If you want it we can get it." He said, reaching over the shorter Echo and pulling a shirt off the rack that looked like it would fit. "Here, hold it up."

Echo pretended to hate doing it, but he hadn't had a Superman shirt in so long, and he really did want it. "Whatever." He said, holding his arms out as Kace put the shirt up to his frame.

Kace gave a side smile, seeing right through the mask to Echo's excitement. "This looks like it will fit. If you see anything else, just say so."

Echo nodded, giving a small, intentional, barely visible smile as the shirt was put into the cart. They walked around a bit more, Kace stopping every time he saw a superman related item and asking Echo if he wanted it. Echo would nod yes to each one, and even pulled a few other superhero shirts off, putting them in the cart after Kace nodded at him.


	6. Chapter 6

By the end of the trip, Echo had a few extra pairs of jeans, a pair of swim trunks, and two weeks worth of shirts. Kace went through the food section to pick up a few things for dinner before checking out and putting it in the back of his truck. "Where do we need to go for your hearing aides?" Kace asked as they got in the truck.  
Echo thought for a second. "We used to go to this place called Hear in Glacier. They were really nice." He said, clicking his seat belt as they set off.  
"Oh, I know where that is." He turned left on a four lane road and headed towards the small strip mall. "That one next to the shoe store?"  
"Yeah, last I remember." He said, leaning down in his seat a bit so he could put his foot on the dash and lean more.  
"Cool. We can get new shoes there too." He said, looking at Echo's torn up no-name shoes. "You could use them."  
Echo scanned his shoes over in all their ripped and holly glory. "Yeah, that would be nice."  
The pulled up to the hearing place and parked, jumping out of the truck and heading inside. A blond lady was sitting as the desk dressed in colorful scrubs. "Welcome!" She greeted them. "What can I help you with?"  
When Echo didn't respond, Kace spoke up for him. "He needs new hearing aides. He lost his other one and the one he's using is old." The little deceive looked a lot worse for wear when he'd last seen it on the counter this morning.  
"Well, we can certainly help with that? Have you been here before?" She asked, clicking something on her computer.  
"Yeah. My name's Echo Sumpter." He said, finally finding his voice. "Sorry we don't have an appointment."  
"It's not a problem. We can have you back there in about five minutes and get you sorted out." The nurse said, typing into her computer and looking up to smile at the two men. "May barrow your current aide so the doctor can make sure he get's the prescription right?"  
Echo nodded and happily took the device out of his ear and sat it on the counter. The nurse signed a thank you and sat the piece on a tray before setting it back on a counter.  
Kace and Echo sat down, Kace not knowing what to do since he couldn't really make small talk. He looked up as a man come in and called out Echo's name. Echo could see as the man came in and looked up as Kace stood up and fixed his shirt. He assumed the man had called his name and followed him into the back, Kace tailing behind.  
When they found a room, Echo took a seat on the bed and Kace leaned against the wall at they sighed a conversation.  
How are you today? The doctor asked, smiling.  
Good, you?  
Eh, so-so. He laughed a bit. So, you need new hearing aides?  
Echo nodded yes.  
What happened to your last one's? They look pretty beat up. The doctor stuck a light in Echo's ear, looking to see that everything was kosher.  
Clumsily. Echo sighed, putting on a fake smile. Just got back in town and managed to lose it on the way here. Technically not a lie.  
Ah, well, you're not the first. We'll get you squared away here soon. You've been here before so we still have the settings on the last ones. We should be able to get you some new ones in no time at all. He smiled at Echo and gave him the international sign of okay and smiled up at Kace. "We'll have you two out of here in no time."  
"Thanks." Kace smiled as the doctor waved his good bye and left.  
They sat in silence for the next few minutes until a nurse walked back in with the doctor, a tray in hand.  
We're going to test them out and make sure they fit okay before sending you off okay? The doctor signed.  
Echo nodded and tried to sit still as they put in the hearing aides and let him make sure the fit right. He nodded okay when they were in and they turned them on.  
We're going to make sure they're working and then we'll have you on you way okay?  
Echo nodded, used to the process of using a device to measure hurtz. They turned it on, starting at the lowest point and turning it up slowly. They adjusted the settings and made sure everything was working properly. When everything was good, he could finally hear everything again, it was a shock. His other hearing aides had been cheap and not nearly this well made, most sounds coming in as abut galling noise if at all.  
He had to hold back his surprise as he could hear Kace breathing across the room. He head shoot over to look at the man to see if it was real.  
"You okay" Kace asked, concerned as he saw the boy's face turn around.  
Echo nodded, whipping his eyes with the back of his sleeve.  
"Hey there bud, been a while huh?" The doctor asked, his voice deep and clear.  
Echo nodded and sniffled. He could hear as Kace let out a laugh behind him and put a hand on his back. "It's okay, man."  
Echo nodded again. "Yeah, it's just been a long time since I had nice hearing aides." He said. "Most of them were just drug store ones and they don't work all that well." He took in a deep breath and let it out to calm himself.  
The doctor was smiling at Echo. The best thing in the world about his job was seeing things just like this. "It's always better to have the ones made for you specifically." He smiled. "Let's get you squared away at the front desk."  
Echo nodded and followed the nurse out front, now able to hear the light music in the background. He was beaming as Kace finished up then lead him out of the place and towards the shoe store.   
Kace couldn't help but laugh as Echo circled around as each new sound hit him. "So, the drug store hearing aides and this, what makes them so different?" He asked.

"The drug store ones are for old people, not deaf people." He said. "They aren't strong enough for me. Can't really hear much. These are... Amazing."

"Well, I'm glad they work." Kace laughed. "Let's go get some shoes now, okay?"

Echo nodded, smiling up at Kace as they walked. Kace thought he looked a lot cuter like that, a smile in place of his usual sour look. He jokingly rolled his eyes as Echo skipped to the door and held it open for him.

"Pick whatever you want." He said. "Maybe even two." That last statement was more towards himself.

Echo nodded and went straight towards the tennis shoes. He picked out a pair of blue ones with orange trim. He tried on several different pairs before finding the right size and showing them to Kace.

Kace thought better of saying they were a little too colorful for a normal twenty-tree year old and said, "They look nice. Do they fit well?"

Echo nodded and re-boxed them.

"Alright, then let's get home. Your brother will be home soon." He said, taking the box from Echo and paying for it before walking out the door and back to the truck. Echo hopped in and buckled himself as Kace pulled out of the parking lot and headed for home.

When they finally got back to the house, Echo and Kace filled their arms and walked inside to the kitchen where Kace sat his bags on the counter and Echo left his on the floor.

"Why don't you take the clothes upstairs and try them on so we know what fits." Kace said, starting to unbag the groceries and put them in the fridge.

Echo nodded and ran up stairs to his room. It had been put back together with fresh sheets. Unaware of the fact that his brother had asked the caretaker to put a plastic sheet underneath the real ones, Echo sat the bags on his bed and started going through them, taking the underwear and socks out at first. He took off his old, tattered clothes and threw them into the corner, ready to put on his new, clean stuff.


	7. Chapter 7

Everything fit really well, which was nice for Echo because he hated shopping for clothes and didn't want to go back again if he didn't have to. He put on the Superman shirt he picked out and slipped on his new shoes and walked downstairs. 

Kace smiled up at him as he came down the back stairs that led into the kitchen and said, "You look a lot better."

"Feel a lot better." He smiled. He sat down at the island and watched as Kace started dinner. Echo hadn't realized how hungry he was until he could smell whatever Kace was cooking. "What are you making?"

"Jambalaya." Kace said, smiling as Echo sat on his knees and leaned against the countertop on his elbows. "One of your brother's favorites."

"Mine too." Echo smiled. He looked up as he heard the garage door open and Elliott's truck pull in.

"What's up?" He asked when he came in. 

"Hey man. Jambalaya for dinner sound good?" Kace asked.

"Ew, gross." Elliott joked.

"Good, because it's what I'm making." Kace laughed as Elliott sat down next to Echo. "Hey you look like a new guy."

Echo beamed. "Thanks."

"New hearing aides and everything." Elliott looked over to Kace, sending him a silent thanks. "Did you all go shopping?"

"Yeah, uh, Echo needed some new stuff." Kace said. "Used your card, hope you don't mind."

"No, no problem at all. I told you to use it if Echo needed anything." Elliott said, rustling his twin's hair. "Wow, your aides are blue and red. Superman colors?"

Echo's eyes crinkled in the middle and he took one of the aides out and looked at it. It was red and blue with a yellow seam. Echo shrugged and put it back in. "Whatever. Color doesn't matter so long as I can hear."

"So you're going to keep these one's in?" Elliot eyes his brother.

Echo glared at him. "I'll do what I want." He said, sticking his tong out at his brother.

Kace laughed and plated the food, thinking better of telling Elliott about Echo's tears at finally being able to hear again. "Eat up." He said, taking a seat next to Echo and taking a bite.

Echo and Elliott ate away, then helped clean up afterwards. 

"What did you do at work today?" Echo asked Elliott when they all sat down on the couch to watch some TV.

"Oh, just some basic stuff. The coach wanted to talk about some new plays to practice before the season starts." Elliott turned on the TV and asked, "What about you all?"

"Well, we shopped a bit, got his hearing aides, talked, got some shoes and the headed home. Not really all that big a deal." Kace said, putting a hand on Echo's head.

Echo smiled at the affection. "I'm going to get ready for bed." He said, getting up and walking for the stairs.

Elliott waited until Echo was up the stairs before he asked, "Any mention about what happened with his room mate?"

Kace shook his head no. "But he did lie to the guy at the hearing aide place. I saw the doctor write down that he lost it on the way here. Which isn't what it sounded like this morning. And it was really beat up, like it spent more time in a dryer with rocks than in his ear." He sighed. "Are you gong to tell me what this is about?"

Now it was Elliott who sighed. "Wetting the bed has always been a bit of a warning sign that something bad was up for him. I went and got some... Protection for him before I got home. Anyway, it's never anything good going on. It's always been a problem for him. But when things went wrong, he'd always end up in Goodnites or Pull-up's because he'd get too stressed. ANd' he'll never say why. Most of the time, I can guess of inference, but this time?" He sighed again. "We haven't really been in good communication, so I know nothing about where he was living or who it was he was living with. I have no idea what's causing this."

"So, what do we do?" Kace asked, glancing at the stairs.

"I don't know. This seems different from the other times. I don't know how to help." Elliott sighed seemed to fold in on himself. "We've always been very different, that's what our mom used to say. He's always been more dependent on other people than I have. When our mom left, I threw myself into football and Echo folded in on himself. He'd always need me to help him with anything. And I'd get so annoyed at him being so clingy. I had my own friends and foot ball to keep me busy, I didn't want him annoying me too. But then I'd feel bad for him and cancel plans to make sure he could do his homework and that he would eat. He'd just forget to take care of himself sometimes.

"When we went to college, he left me alone. Which I was thankful for until I saw his roommate. I guess the guy had figured out how reliant Echo was and would make him do things Echo wouldn't do on his own. I didn't even notice until Echo came to my room asking for some socks because he couldn't find any. He could have used a freaking Cheerio as a hula-hoop he was so small. Come to find out that the guy has been taken all the food Echo had and using his meal plan for his stupid friends." Elliot clenched his fist at the memory. "It was so fucking stupid. Echo could have just said no, but he didn't and I couldn't understand why. So when I ask him, Echo says he just didn't want the guy to beat him up for it again. And when I pushed harder, Echo said he'd been wetting the bed again and he didn't want the guy telling all of campus. Which didn't make sense braces he didn't know anyone, but, it was what he said."

"What did you do?" Kace asked.

"I told the person in charge of his floor and he switched rooms." Elliott said. "I checked in on him ever other day or so and made sure we ate together each time I came. It's all I could do."

"Well, he had to get better, right?" Kace asked, completely amazed at how much Elliott was saying at once about his life.

"Yeah, eventually he just came out of it. Don't really know how." Kace sighed and rubbed the back of his head before standing up. "If he starts yelling when I'm up there, come and help okay?" He looked pleadingly at Kace.

"Yeah, okay. But why should he start yelling?"


	8. Chapter 8

Elliott just shook his head and started up the stairs to Echo's room. He knocked on the door before walking in. "Hey, what's up?"

"Nothing." Echo said, sitting on the bed and pulling off his shoes.

"So... I heard about this morning." Elliott started. "And, I know you don't like them, but I picked up some protection on my way home."

Echo looked at his brother, his brow tight. "What?"

"Look, I'd rather not have people changing the sheets every night so please just wear them." Elliott hated going through this. He knew how much Echo hated talking about it.

"I'm not a bed wetter." Echo said through clenched teeth.

"Really? Because last night wasn't really proof of that." He said, stepping into the room more to put the bag on the diapers.

"That wasn't my fault." Echo said, putting aside his shoes and standing up.

"I'm not saying it is okay, but please, just wear them for me." Elliott said. 

"I'm not a baby and I'm not wearing diapers!" Echo yelled at his brother.

Elliott tried to stay calm. "I didn't say that. I'm saying that you need to wear these. Please. For my sake."

Kace was already up the stairs and at Echo's door, listening for his cue to step in. He took Echo's shouting as that cue. "What's up?" He asked as he walked in, trying to hold down a laugh at the red faced boy in the middle of the room.

"Go away!" Echo yelled, stomping into the bathroom and slamming the door.

"Think you can help?" Elliott begged Kace with his eyes.

Kace sighed. "Yeah, I'll try." Elliott thanked him and walked out leaving Kace alone in the room. He let out a puff of air as he knocked on the bathroom door with the back of his hand. "Hey bud, you okay in there?" Echo didn't respond, but Kace could hear him crying through the door. Kace tested the knob and was surprised to find it open and pushed on it to find Echo on the floor in a ball, his head on his knees.

"Echo, bud, come on. This... Protection thing is nothing, okay. Just wear them and then we can all move on with our lives." Kace sat down in front of Echo and grabbed his hands. "It doesn't make you a baby, okay. It's just a little help for the bed and sheets."

Echo looked up from his knees, eyes red and puffy. "I'm not a baby." He said.

"I know, no one ever said you where." Kace pulled a tone that would more likely be used for an upset two year old than a twenty three year old, but Echo didn't seem to notice. "Come on, please. Do it for me?"

Echo shook his head no. "I don't want to." He whined.

"Why?" Kace pushed on. 

Echo's lips were pushed up in a pout. "It never feels right." He said, letting his head fall back onto his knees.

"Well, maybe I could help." He offered, giving the boy a smile. "Let's go over to my room. I have some things that will help." Kace held out a hand for Echo, who took it reluctantly and was hauled to his feet.

They walked out of the main house and over to the pool house, where Kace finally let go of Echo's hand in his living room. "We forgot to get PJ's," he said as he went to his room and pulled a box out of the closet. "So you can just barrow one of mine." He returned the the living room with the box and sat it on the counter, pulling out a bag of diapers and some baby powder.

"Lay down, okay." He said, walking over to Echo as he sat down.

"So you do this often?" Echo asked, leaning back onto the carpet.

"Yes, actually. A few times." He unbuttoned Echo's pants and started sliding them down.

"And you even had your own diapers?" Echo asked. He didn't mind this near as much as he thought he would. Even if Kace saw his parts, he was too tired and frustrated to care.

"I used to have someone else to do this kind of thing with." He said, slipping off the boy's underwear. "But he left and I kept all the stuff."

"You're ABDL?" Echo asked.

"How do you know that acronym?" Kace was now working the diaper under his bum.

"Found it online when I was looking around." Echo yawned as Kace strapped the diaper shut.

"What for?" Kace asked.

"Just stuff." Echo stood up, having to stand awkwardly with the diaper between his legs. 

Kace shook his head as Echo yawned again. "Let's get back to your room, okay."

"Too tired. Don't feel like walking." Echo rubbed his eyes and looked around the room.

"Nah, none of that. Come on, let's get to your room." Kace took Echo's hand and started towards the main house. He was having flash backs to last night, only Echo was tumbling around even more because of the lump between his legs. Kace gave up on him walking when they got to the stairs, and Kace lifting him up and carried him up the stairs.

"I'm not a baby." Echo mumbled as Kace turned into his room.

"I know, I know." Kace held back a laugh as he realized Echo still didn't have pants on. Echo was already asleep by the time Kace sat him on the bed. He was about to leave when he felt a tug on his shirt. Kace turned around to see that Echo was holding onto his shirt.

He mumbled something, but Kace couldn't hear it so he leaned down and said, "What is it bud?"

"Snuggie." He said lightly.

Kace didn't understand until Echo sat up a bit and pointed at his duffle bag. Kace walked over and rummaged through it to find an old tattered blanket that was about three feet square. He smiled and handed it to Echo, who happily snuggled up to it.

"Will you stay?" Echo asked sleepily. "Just until I'm asleep?"

"Yeah, I can do that." He sat down next to Echo on the bed, leaning against the backboard as Echo settled in beside him.


	9. Chapter 9

Kace hadn't meant to fall asleep, it just kind of happened and he wasn't aware of it until he woke up, Echo balled up beside him. The bed crinkled as he moved, a result of the playing sheet that was underneath the fabric one. Echo didn't seem to notice as Kace got up to look at a mirror. His brown hair was thrown into a few odd directions, but otherwise, he looked fine.

He looked over at Echo who was starting to stir from the lack of warmth at his side. He looked around, then smiled lightly when he saw Kace standing in front of his dresser. "Morning." He mumbled as he rolled out of bed. He had forgot completely about last night until he saw his bare legs with a diaper strapped around his waist. He could feel it squishing around, telling him it was wet.

Kace could see Echo's hesitation s he stood up. "Are you we?" He asked lightly.

Echo looked over his shoulder and nodded at Kace, blushing lightly.

"It's okay, you should get out of it though." He said, and gestured towards the bathroom. "You good on your own?"

Echo nodded shyly and dashed to the bathroom, closing the door behind himself. Kace waited for him to realize he hadn't take anything with him to change into as he said lightly through the door, "Can you get me my clothes?"

Kace chuckled as he grabbed one of his new shirts and jeans with a pair of underwear and passed them through the cracked door.

Echo got dressed quickly. "Stupid bladed with your stupid problems!" He cursed at himself under his breath as he pulled the diaper off and thew it in the trash can before putting on his pants and shirt. He walked back into the room to find Kace putting away his new clothes that he had scattered across his room in a dresser. "You don't have to do that." He said, yawning and scratching his messy hair.

Kace looked up as he came in. "I don't mind it. You ready to eat something?"

Echo's stomach responded before he had the chance, grumbling loudly. He smiled up at Kace. "I guess I could eat."

That was a relief to Kace after watching him eat so little the day before. "Cool, I'll head back to my room and change then start."

Echo nodded. "I guess I'll head down in a bit. What are we doing today?"

"Don't know." Kace shrugged. "We'll figure it out later."

"Okay." Echo smiled.

With that, Kace left Echo's room and walked out of the main house to his pool house and saw a note no the door.

Hey Kace, can you look after Echo again today? You can bring him to practice if you want, but don't take your eyes off him. Thanks!

Kace sighed. He figured something like this would happen. To be honest, it'd been a long time since he'd had a little to look after and he enjoy' doing it. But he didn't want to force Echo into it. It was clear the Echo cold use a big, but he had yet to state what he wanted. Elliott, Kace had guessed, had caught on to some of his tendencies, but he'd never brought it up.

He got dressed quickly and headed back into the house to see Echo already pulling out a pan. He smiled when he saw Kace come in, and Kace couldn't help but smile back.

"So, what do you want to eat?" Kace asked, readjusting the pan on the stove so it sat right.

"I don't know, just something tasty." Echo said, then turned around to open the fridge.

"See anything good?" Kace asked, looking over his shoulder. The fridge was mostly empty save for a few Poweraides and some eggs. "Guess we have to go shopping, huh?"

"Yeah," Echo agreed, grabbing the package of eggs and ducking under Kace's arm before setting them on the counter next to the stove. "Eggs sound good for now though."

Kace laughed as the boy maneuvered around him and stood next to the stove. "Well, let's get cooking!"

Echo hopped up onto one of the seat at the island and watched as Kace fried a few eggs and put them on a plate, handing them to Echo. He smiled a thank you and dug in, Kace settling in next to him.

They ate quickly, and Kace cleaned up as Echo walked off to his room to put shoes on. "We're going to have to go to the field today," Kace had told him. "I have some work to do and then we can go grocery shopping."

Echo smiled gleefully and dashed up the stairs, happy to see his brother at practice, even if he'd never admit it. He put his colorful blue shoes on and ran back down the stairs, meeting Kace at the bottom and tailing him to his old truck.

Kace drove to the practice field smiling as he saw Echo's horribly hidden excitement. They pulled up to the parking lot and parked close to the door. Echo picked up Kace's habit of slamming the door to the truck as he got out and ran after Kace, having to walking faster than normal to keep up with the man.

"Okay, you can walk with me or sit in the stands and watch, but, either way, don't get in the way. Kace said as they came up to his office. He unlocked the door and held it open as Echo walked it. It was decorated with team affiliated items along with a few pictures of an older couple.

"Are those your parents?" Echo asked, picking one of them up.

"Yeah, my mom and step dad." He said. "They both live south of here a bit."

Echo starred at the picture for a while before asking, "What happened to your dad?"

Kace took a seat at his desk and said, "I don't know, really. One day he was there and the next, it was just me and mom." He watched as Echo looked up. "But, Hank is a great guy. More of a father than my real one ever was."

"I'm sorry that your dad walked out." Echo said. "Mine did too. Not long after mom. It was ind of the same thing, but he left us alone." Echo put the picture back in it's place on Kace's desk. 

"No need to be sorry. It was a long time ago." Kace sighed into his computer. "You're welcome todo whatever. I'll be here for a while, so you can look around if you want to. Do you have a cell phone?"

Echo's brow crunched in the middle. "A what?"

"Cell phone. Something for people to call you with?" Kace said, thinking his hearing aides were dying or something.

"Oh, no." Echo said. "Never have had one."

Kace wondered how that could be possible in this day and age, but decided not to ask. "We'll get you one later. For now, use this." He reached into his desk and pulled out a walking-talkie. "Keep it on 17 and respond if you hear me come through."

Echo nodded and took the device, hooking it to his belt. "Got it." He smiled and stood up. "Which way to the green?"

Kace pointed left and watched as Echo waved and walked off. He hoped that he wouldn't get into too much trouble.

Echo happily skipped down the hall towards the practice field. He climbed into the bleachers and watched as they ran through drills. Spotting Elliott took little effort at this hight, and he happily watched as he pulled off his helpmate and waved at Echo. Echo waved back and smiled proudly.

He had always wished to have the abilities Elliott had, but it never seems to happen. Instead, he sat like this every game all through middle and high school, cheering his brother on.

When Kace finished his desk worked checked in on Echo. "Hey bud, you doing alright?" He asked through the walkie-talkie.

Echo reached for the device, having some trouble getting it off his belt before he push a button and said, "Yeah, just out here watching them practice. You finished up yet?"

"Not with everything. Wanna tag along as I get some stuff together?" Kace asked, closing the door to his office and going towards the vending machine.

Echo was kind of hot sitting out in the sun. "Yeah, sure."

"Okay, I'll come get you. You just in the bleachers?" Kace popped in a few quarters to the machine, waiting as it popped out two water bottles.

"Yup! I'll wait for you!" He smiled and pinned the device back to his belt, waiting on Kace.

"Hey!" Kace yelled up at Echo from a few rows down.

Echo jumped up and ran down the stairs. "You ready?" He asked.

"Yeah." He held out the unopened bottle for Echo. "Drink this. It's hot out today."

"Thanks." Echo hadn't realized how dry his mouth was until he started chugging the water.

"Sow it down, man. You're going to get hiccups." Kace laughed. Echo did slow down, but stopped after half the bottle was emptied half way.

"You're right, it was hot." Echo said.

Kace patted his back and chuckled, pushing him back to the tunnel and into the shade. Echo followed alone as Kace checked things off on a clipboard. "What are you doing?" He asked.

"Just making sure everything's here that needs to be." He said.

"Do people steal stuff a lot?" Echo asked sincerely.

Kace looked over at the boy to see if he was serious. When he realized he was, he answered, "No, but sometimes stuff goes missing."

"Oh." Echo said, dropping the conversation. He didn't talk for a while as they walked around more. "How'd you get this job?"

"It just short of opened up and I was in the right place at the right time, you know." Kace leaned against the wall and took another swig of his water, resisting telling Echo to do the same.

"That's cool. I once got a job as a skate park because I hung out there a lot." Echo said.

"You skate?" Kace asked.

"Not really. But it was fun watching everyone as they did." He smiled at Kace. "Some of the guys there even tried to teach me. I wasn't much good, but I learned how to not fall, so it was cool."

"Really?" Kace asked, laughing.

Echo nodded his head. "Yup!"

"That's cool." Kace said. "You really have done a lot, haven't you."

"As much as I could, yeah." Echo laughed. He opened the bottle and drank the other half.

"Well, we should be finished in about 30 ,minutes and then we can get home, okay." Kace asked, pushing off the wall and starting down the hallway again.

Echo smiled and skipped along behind him. Kace got them both another bottle of water before moving on to the next thing, which was out side mostly. Echo kept himself entertained as Kace walked back and forth between rooms and bleachers, counting his steps, then counting Kace's,then counting tiles on the floor.

Kace finished up quickly and walked outside to see if Elliott was finished with practice.

"Hey guys!" Elliott greeted them as he walked over. "We're out now if you want to go do something."

"We have too go to the grocery to get some food for the house, you're welcome to tag along." Kace said, zipping up Elliott's bag for him. "Fridge is empty."

"Cool, sounds good. Want to meet there or ride together?" Elliott threw the bag over his shoulder and started walking towards the exit.

"Let's ride together. Save the earth and all." Kace suggested as he clicked he lock for his truck.

Elliott nodded. "Sounds good to me, let's go." He threw his bag in the back and hopped into the bed of the truck, letting Echo take shotgun.


	10. Chapter 10

They got to the store with out a hitch and all hopped out, running into the store before the heat could soak their shirts too much. Elliott grabbed a cart and pushed it down an isle, Kace and Echo in tow.

"What do you guys want to eat?" Kace asked, realizing he should have asked sooner.

Echo shrugged his shoulders and looked over to Elliott as he leaned against the cart with his arms, one foot on the soda holder under the basket. "I want some meat. A steak or burger sounds good."

"Ooh! Burgers." Echo said, looking up at Kace who smile.

"Alright, burgers it is. What about meals and snacks for the next week though? Might as well get it all at once." Kace said.

"Let's just pick some stuff up as we go. Chicken sounds good for one night too." Elliott said, pushing the cart toward the produce. "We also need eggs and milk and bread." He may not seem like it, but Elliott always knew what was in his cabinets. He looked through them often enough.

Kace nodded. "Okay, let's go." 

They walked through each isle, making sure to pick up lots. None of them could remember the last time they went shopping for more than one meal. When they got to the foreign food isle, Echo ran down towards the Hispanic shelve and pulled something off.

"What's that?" Elliott asked as the got close enough to see what was in his hands.

"Mango juice!" Echo beamed.

"You like that stuff?" Elliott asked, scanning the bottle over. It was Aloe Vera juice with Mango juice and chunks mixed in. "Doesn't like that bad, I guess. A little sweet, though."

"Says the guy who will down three Red Bull's in one sitting." Kace laughed, looking the bottle over himself before setting it in the cart.

Echo laughed and grabbed a few canned peach juices too. Kace rolled his eyes and pretended to not notice. Elliott had done the same thing with a bag of chips earlier. And Kace may have done it with a case of Oreos.

They finished up the shopping and Elliott paid. "You all are expensive." He joked.

"Whatever, most of that's because of you. You're a freaking bottomless pit when it comes to food." Kace rolled his eyes. 

Echo laughed as they pushed the cart out to the car and helped load the bed of the truck. When he got in, Echo realized just how much those two water bottles sat on his bladder. Walking around the store had made it easy to forget, but now that he sat in the car, he had to squirm to keep it in. Kace had noticed him wiggling but decided not to mention it until they got home. Echo tried every trick he knew not to move too man, but it wasn't working.

When they got home, he didn't even wait for the car to park as he jumped out and ran towards the door. Kace would have yelled at him for jumping out of a car before it was off, but saw the boy's desperation and kept his mouth shut.

Echo twisted the door knob, but it was locked. Elliott had always been super obsessive over locking all the doors after their house had been broken into a few times. Echo had liked it up until this moment, when it was most inconvenient.

Elliot grabbed bags out of the back as Kace tried to get to the door and unlock it on time, but he didn't make it. Echo's bladder was realizing without his permission and against his will. All he could do was look on in horror as his pants were soaked and a puddle formed around his feet.

Elliott was just now seeing what happened and dropped the stuff back into the truck. "Echo," he started.

Kace had now unlocked the door and Echo bolted past him, his wet jeans leaving a trail of drops as he ran to his room. 

"Do you have this?" Kace asked Elliott, pointing at the truck.

"Yeah, yeah. Go. Please." He said, shewing Kace.

Kace nodded an ran up the stairs two at a time catching the door just in time before Echo could lock it. Echo pushed o the door hard, but it wasn't going through Kace's foot.

"Ow, stop this, please." Kace said, grabbing the door and pushing against it.

"Just leave me alone!" Echo cried, his voice cracking.

"It's okay, please stop this. No one's mad." Kace said, feeling Echo's force on the door lessen. He took it and pushed the door back, able to slip in before Echo's weight slammed it closed. 

He was leaning against the door, his feet falling from under him and lowering him to the ground slowly. "I'm not a baby." He cried. "I'm not!"

Kace was starting to get a feeling this baby thing had a lot to do with something else. "No one said you were, Echo. No one even blames you. And no one but me and Elli saw."

Echo was officially on the floor now, his pants sticking to his skin. "That's all he ever said! That's it! 'You're a baby! You're a baby! You wet the bed and you're a baby!'" He stuttered a breath in and his voice stopped cooperating through his sobs. "I'm not a baby!"

Kace grabbed Echo and wrapped him in his arms, pulling the crying boy into his lap. "It's okay. No one here thinks you're a baby."

Echo cried until all the fluids were gone from his body and his was limo against Kace, his soaked jeans still on and staring to get through to Kace's.

"Let's get you changed, okay. No need to stay in this mess." Kace stood up, easily lifting Echo with him.

Echo didn't want to move, but he didn't want to stay in thee clothes more, so he let Kace lead him to the bathroom. He lifted his arms as Kace pulled off his shirt and watched as he pulled off his pants and underwear, his socks and shoes being left out side the door.

Kace turned on the shower and tested it before helping Echo wash up. He scrubbed at Echo's back and torso, letting Echo do the lower parts himself.

When he stepped out,Kace wrapped him in a towel and sat him on the toilet, going back to the room to get a different pair of jeans and a Superman shirt. Kace had guessed he like the hero for a lot of the reasons he didn't like himself.

As he was helping Echo get dressed, Kace was glad he had thought to bring diapers up last night so Echo could change himself if he needed to in the middle of the night.

"I don't need diapers." Echo said pathetically, looking at the padding as Kace held it out.

"I know bud, it's just for me, okay. That way we don't have to worry about it." Kace pushed Echo to lie back on the floor lightly.

"I don't need 'em!" Echo said stubbornly. Kace sighed and gave up on getting him to wear them.

"There, clean and happy, okay." Kace gave him a resuming smile before bringing him in for another hug and squeezing tight.

After an hour, Elliott saw a hollowed version of his brother. "You okay, man?" He asked, getting off the couch. He had brought in all the groceries and put them away in the time it took Kace to calm Echo and get him washed up.

"I'm fine." Echo sniffled and rubbed his nose on the back of his sleeve.

"That's good. You feeling up to some dinner?" Elliott asked. "Kace said you two didn't eat lunch."

Kace could see it now, when they face each other and he got a profile of both boys, how they were twins. The same nose that ended in a small bump and the same lips, thin on top,full on the bottom. And their eyes. Kace had never notice before how green they both were. Elliot's hair may have been shorter, but they both had the same blond curls.

"Sounds good. I could eat." Kace said, walking off toward the kitchen.

"I guess," Echo sighed, following as Elliott walked into the kitchen as well. In truth, he was a little hungry and burgers sounded really good.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, so, there's already 66 chapters to this. I'll try and post them when I can, but it's a lot of copy and pasting. I'm happy you guys are enjoying! Comments, Kudos, and suggestions are always welcome!

Echo forgot all about his accident as they made dinner together. He didn't really do much compared to Elliott, and even less when compared to Kace, but he had fun sitting at the island on his knees and leaning onto the counter on his elbows and eating cheese. 

"Would you stop!" Kace jokingly slapped his hand with the spatula. "You're not going to be hungry for dinner if you eat everything first."

"Ha! Don't worry about him, Kace. Kid can down fries like there's no tomorrow." Elliott joked, taking a seat next to Echo at the island, leaving Kace to cook up the rest of the patties.

Echo smiled like he'd just been given a huge compliment. Kace didn't mention that Echo eating a lot tonight was his plan as he pulled the tray of fries out of the oven and sat them down. He salted them well, then returned to the patties, flipping them over to check them one more time before plating them.

"This looks great." Elliott commented as Kace sat them down at the breakfast table in a small alcove of the kitchen. The real dinning room was never used, being too far away to really bother with it. 

"Yeah." Echo smiled, fries already in his mouth. 

Kace jokingly rolled his eyes and sat down to eat. Dinner went on uneventful, Echo gleefully eating every fry he could get his hands on before Kace told him no more until he ate half his burger.

Echo pouted a bit, but followed Kace's rules and actually ate a large portion of his burger, surprising both Elliott and Kace.

When dinner was over, they cleaned up and started heading for bed. Elliott was the first one out, the sun and practice finally getting to him. Echo sat on the couch, totally forgetting about the day as he watched TV until his bladder called again. He stood up, ready to run to the bathroom.

Kace saw as Echo stood up and flashed down the hall, only to stop right in the middle of it. "You okay Echo?" He asked. He wasn't standing in a very comfortable position, his arms out stretched and legs bent at the knees. It took a few seconds before he recognized the stance. "Oh no."

He stood up and ran to Echo, only to find him in the same state he'd been in earlier. He was on the brink of tears, his breathing already shaking. Kace wrapped him in a hug before he could completely fall apart.

Echo sobbed into Kace's shirt, holding onto his sweater as he cried. How could this happen? And twice in one day! It just wasn't fair! What did he do to deserve this!

It was a long time before Kace could calm him down enough to pick him up and take him to his room. Echo didn't put up any protest as Kace pulled off his pants and shirt, throwing them onto the growing pile. He then worked on peeling off his underwear, whipping him down with a wet wipe before strapping a diaper around his waist.

"Do you want a sweater or something to sleep it?" Kace asked.

Echo started to shake his head, then stopped and asked, "Can I wear yours?"

Kace let out a small laugh before taking off his sweater and pulling it over Echo's head. "Better?" He asked.

Echo nodded his head and sat up, wrapping his arms around himself and pulling at the sides of the sweater. "Cold." He moaned, looking around for something more.

"Why don't we get to bed, huh? Then you can just wrap up in a blanket and stay warm all night." Kace knew it was a different kind of cold he was referring to, the kind that happens when you're just done with a day and want it to end. But he didn't have a cure for that cold, so he had to use what he had. "Come on, I'll find Snggie."

Echo nodded, rubbing his eyes. He was tired as the day caught up with him, so he crawled up the bed and pulled back the covers as Kace found the worn blanket in the night stand shelf. The maids may have been annoying sometimes, but they were great people when it came to discretion.

"All settled in?" Kace asked, rubbing the boys head out of habit.

Echo nodded his head and closed his eyes. He didn't want Kace to not be there when he opened his eyes again, but he wasn't going to ask him again. He'd been a bother to too many people, and he didn't want to be one to Kace too.

"Hey bud, you sure you're okay?" Kace asked after noticing his eyes going from a light closing to a squeezing shut, making wrinkles around his eyes.

Echo hugged Snuggie tighter and nodded yes.

Kace smiled when he finally realized what it was. "Do you want me to stay?"

Echo's eyes opened back up, still red and puffy from crying earlier. "I don't want to be alone." He cried.

"Hey, hey, none of that." Kace kneeled down and rubbed Echo's hair. "You're never alone. Not if I'm around."

Echo pushed down into the pillow and closed his eyes again, tears still coming. "I don't like it."

"No one does." Kace's smiled, knowing it'd be lost on the crying boy. "Tell you what; let me take care of somethings and put my PJ's on and then I'll come back up until you fall asleep, okay?"

Echo nodded. To be honest, he would have preferred to go with until Kace was ready for bed too, but he'd take what he could get.

Kace smiled, patting Echo's arm before getting up and walking out of the room. He had to let Jake out and the dog hatted sleeping alone, so Elliott would just have to deal with having him around if the guy was going to have Kace babysitting his brother.

Kace made his way quickly through a checklist in his head and rushed Jake up stairs to find Echo in the same position as before.

He sat up as Kace walked in, Jake tailing behind him. "Jake." He smiled as the dog walked up to him, huffing from the run up the stairs and nuzzling his head against Echo.

"Alright, come on, time for bed." Kace said, sitting on the edge of the bed to pull off his shoes.

"Not tired." Echo said. 

"Yeah, you look it." Kace chuckled, "Come on, silly." He pulled Echo into him as he laid back.

Echo happily agreed, still insisting that he was not tired, but he would lay down with Kace because he could. Jake hopped up onto the bed and found a nice spot towards the end where Echo's feet didn't reach.

"I'm sure, buddy. I'm sure." Kace laughed as he closed his own eyes. When he opened them back up, Echo was out like a light, one arm wrapped around Kace and the other around his blanket.

Kace was going to get up, but Echo curled up next to his side filled him with warmth and he passed out too, his last thought, "If I keep sleeping here I'm gonna need a shelf or something."


	12. Chapter 12

The next morning, Echo woke up to something cold pushing against him. He didn't think anything of it at first, assuming if was the air from the room getting under the blankets and shifted around, trying to get it to go away. When that didn't work, he pushed against Kace and closed his eyes tight to will it away.

Kace woke up as Echo shifted around, clearly uncomfortable, but too tired to do anything about it. Kace patted his shoulder a few times until his eyes opened. "I think you're wet." Kace yawned.

"Don't care." Was Echo's only reply as his eyes started to close again. He was lying, of course, but Kace didn't need to know that.

"No, none of that." Kace said, putting his feet on the floor. "Let's get changed. I have work today again. You can tag along."

Echo moaned as he lost his pillow and sat up. "What do you have to do today?" He threw his feet on the floor as well and looked over his shoulder to see Kace stand up and stretch.

"Some stuff on the field. The coach wants me to watch a new play and then we can come home." Kace walked around the bed and helped Echo stand up.

The wet diaper felt weird between his legs as he walked to the bathroom to take it off. He once again forgot his clothes to change into, this time just walking out to the room and getting it himself commando style. Kace has already seen everything by now anyway.

Kace couldn't help but laugh a little as Echo ran out to grab his things and dash back to the bathroom. Then he thought for a second. "Hey, it might be a good idea to go padded today. Just until we can find out why you keep..." He didn't want to say wetting yourself, but that's what was happening. "Having accidents."

Echo was glad Kace couldn't see him as he blushed behind he door. "I don't need diapers!" He yelled through the door.

Kace sighed. "Really, because you only have a pair of jeans left after yesterday." He didn't want to be rude, but if that's what it took...

Echo looked hurt as he poked his head out. "I'm not a baby! I don't need diapers!" He reiterated.

"Please take my advice on this." Kace asked. He hated to use this card, but it's all he had. "What should happen if you couldn't hold it in front of Elli's friends?"

Echo looked horrified at the thought, then his eyes settled on the floor. It was a long pause of silence before Echo nodded yes and opened the door for Kace to come in.

"Good job." He rustled Echo's blond curls as Echo laid back. He quickly strapped a diaper around Echo's waist and covering it up with his jeans. When Echo was dressed once more, they headed down stairs.

"Where's Elli?" Echo asked after not finding him in the kitchen.

"He usually leaves pretty early to get to practice." Kace opened the fridge to grab the milk and sat it on the counter, pulling the cereal boxes off the top shelf and put it all on the island with two bowls. "No time for a hot meal. Cereal okay?"

Echo nodded and grabbed one of the bowls before grabbing a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and pouring most of the box. "It's fine." He tried to pour the milk before dropping the jug onto the counter, the cap, luckily, still on.

"Want some help?" Kace asked, chuckling.

Echo was going to say no, but the odd angle didn't really give him the leverage he would need to pour it. He nodded yes.

Kace grabbed the milk and righted it. "What do you say?"

Echo's brow tightened in the middle, not knowing what Kace meant. He recognized the phrase, but it took a second to understand. "Oh, please." He smiled up at Kace as the milk was poured into the bowl. "Thanks."

"No problem." Kace smiled back, then poured his own bowl of Cheerio's. They ate quickly, then slurped down the milk and placed them in the sink. "I've got to get dressed and let Jake out. You coming?"

Echo hopped off the stool and nodded happily. He really had grown to like the dog. He trailed behind Kace, then wondered how Jake made it back to Kace's room if he'd been in Echo's last night. "How'd Jake get back to your room?" He asked.

"Oh, Elliott let me put in some dog doors on the side doors for him from the main house to the guest." Kace opened his door and let Echo in first as Jake run in from the other room. "He can get out of the main house to the yard and from the yard to my room, but he can't go the other way. That way he doesn't go in the main house when Elliott doesn't want and he doesn't get out of my room if I don't want."

"Sounds weird." Echo said, kneeling down to pet Jake behind the ear.

"Not really. I'll be right back." Kace headed back to his room and got ready for work. It was going to be a weird day for everyone, but he still had to pack a bag for Echo just in case he did have an accident. He grabbed a backpack out of his closet and threw in a few diapers along with baby powder and wipes, covering it all with clothes just in case someone managed to see into the bag.

He walked back out as Echo was plying tug-of-war with Jake. "You ready?"

Echo stood up. "Yup." He smiled.

Kace couldn't believe how cute and little Echo looked in his jeans and superman shirt, his smile bright on his face and shoes bright on his feet. "Alright, let's go."


	13. Chapter 13

Kace pulled the truck into it's normal parking spot and jumped out. Echo followed him to his office and took a seat on one of his chairs.

"We won't be here very long, okay." Kace said, leaving the bag on the floor against the wall by the door. "It'll just be a little bit and then we can go and watch Elli."

Echo nodded, happy to see Elliott practice again. He grabbed a Rubic's off of Kace's desk and twirling it around a few times before he got bored and put it back. "You have anything to do?"  
"Not unless you want to file papers?" Kace said apologetically.

"Can I draw on some of the paper?" Echo asked hopefully.

"You want something to draw on?" Kace asked, then looked around the room to where the copy paper sat and pulled a few sheets out. "Here you go."

Echo smiled. "Thanks. May I barrow a pencil?"

"What do you say?" Kace asked, looking at the boy through narrowed eyes with his brows raised.

"Please?" Echo strewed out the word in annoyance, but reached for the writing utensil all the same and settling down in the chair.

Kace tried to get a look at what Echo was drawing, but the boy kept the pad turned at just the right angle, unintentionally blocking Kace's view. He sighed internally, giving up and getting back to work.

They sat like that for a while until someone knocked on the door. "Hey Kace," he said as he opened it, stopping when he noticed Echo. "Who's this?"

"Brother of the quarterback." Kace said simply. "What's up?"

"Okay. Hey, can you come with me for a sec? Need you to look something over." They guy teetered at the entrance to Kace's office as he stood up.

"Yeah, no problem." Kace lifted the backpack off the floor and swing it over his shoulder. "Come on Echo."

Echo hopped up and followed Kace out of the office and down the hall.

"Oh, Luke, this is Echo. Echo, Luke." Kace said, introducing them.

"What's up, Echo." Luke greeted. "So you're Elliott's brother, huh? You plan on following you brother into football?"

Echo shook his head, not caring that people thought he was twelve. "No, I just like to watch."

Luke eyed him. "Well, you're always welcome to watch. Have you followed us for long?"

"I did before I moved up to Kelvensville for a while. Didn't really follow you guys up there because everyone is a fan of something else. Not many Thundercats until you start heading this way." Echo smiled up at Luke.

"Wow, what were you doing up that far north?" Luke asked.

"Was staying with some friends for a while." Echo said. He tried to not think about how much the diaper must be crinkling as they walked.

Kace hadn't heart any of that before and saved it away until later. "So what is it you need me to see?"

"Just something." Luke said defensively, going back to his conversation with Echo. "What about before your brother joined?"

"Of course!" Echo beamed. "Elli and I have seen every game together since we got here!"

"That's great to hear." Luke said, rustling Echo's hair. "It's through here." He said to Kace, pointing at a door.

Kace nodded and reached for the knob, twisting it and opening the door and flipping on the lights.

"Surprise!" People shouted at him from all over the room.

Kace lost his breath for a second, then realized what had happened. "Guys?" He laughed as he saw a banner with happy birthday written across it. "This is awesome, how did you..." His eyes landed on Elliott who stood at the front of the group with a goofy smile on his face. "You."

"Me!" Elliott laughed and pulled Kace in for a hug. "Didn't think I'd really forget, did you?"

Kace laughed. In all honesty, he'd forgot his own birthday.

Echo looked in on the room and he smiled. He had no idea it was Kace's birthday, but Elliott never forgot a birthday. Ever.

Kace mingled, making sure to thank everyone as best he could before he blew out candles and ate a pice of cake as everyone talked and at end had fun. He made sure to keep an eye on Echo due to the boy's lack of control when it came to sweets. He'd already eaten a piece of cake and several scoops of ice cream before Elliott stepped in and told him to take it easy.

Echo pouted, but did as he was told. Instead, he watched as Elliott and Kace joked around win the other people. Most of them were also faculty members, but a few were people from the team had tagged a long as well. Echo liked watching them as they talked, a bored tiredness falling over him as he sat at a booth. The whole room has been one of the suits often used by people for parties during games and was made out like a small restaurant with tables and booths, one of which Echo was now falling asleep in.

His legs were pulled up onto the seat o that he sat parallel to the table with his head on one of his knees. It wasn't until the party was clearing out that Kace noticed he hadn't seen Echo in a while and scanned the room, finding him in a corner booth. He couldn't hold back a small smile at the sleeping boy, looking ten years younger as he slept.

"He just feel right asleep, huh?" Elliott asked and he same up to Kace.

"Yeah, must have been tired to pass out in all that noise." Kace said, turning around to start throwing away plates.

"Or he took his aides out." Elliott laughed, patting Kace on the back before helping clean up.

They waited until everything had been cleaned up before waking Echo with a light shake. He threw his head to the side, moaning. He isn't want to get up. "Come on, Echo. Time to get up."

Kace said, lightly running the boy's head.

Echo opened his eyes to see Kace and closed them once more, stretching out. "Don't want to." He whined.

"Well, we have to get home." Kace laughed.

Echo didn't think it was that late, but a look at the clock on the wall told him it really was time to leave. He sat up and started to craw off the seat before realizing something was off around his area. He looked down to see how his pants look inflated more than usual and moaned.

Kace saw everything and was already throwing the back pack over his shoulder. He grabbed Echo's hand before he could realize it of resist and was pulling him towards the door. "We'll be right back." He yelled back to Elliott before taking Echo to the bathroom.

Kace pulled him into the stall and locked it. "You okay?" He asked Echo.

Echo's face was going red from the effort of thing not to cry, but he shook his head he's anyway. Kace sympathized with him as he undid Echo's pants. "Do you think anyone noticed?" He asked lightly, scanning the walls as Kace pulled his pants off.

"No one would have the chance, bud. It was just in there for the past hour cleaning up, so even if it happened before that, if we didn't catch it, no one would." Kace tried to reassure him. He pulled off the wet diaper and balled it, tossing it in the trash can before whipping him down with a wet wipe and trying his best to strap on a new one while he was standing up.  
Echo didn't really know how to help, unable to put the thing on by himself anyway. He just did as Kace asked until he was helped back into his pants.

"Better?" Kace asked, concerned.

Echo nodded his head and rubbed the back of his hand across his nose.

"Alright, let's get home." Kace smiled at him.

"Sorry for messing up your birthday." Echo said, the floor becoming, suddenly, very interesting.

"My birthday's not unit, tomorrow. But we have the day off, so they were celebrating today." Kace laughed. "Besides, I don't mind helping you out."

Echo was realized. He didn't like forgetting birthdays, even if he didn't know about them. This way, he had time to get Kace a gift.

They walked back to the party room to pick up Elliott. "You ready to go?" Kace asked.

"Yeah, everything here is cleaned up." He said, getting up from a bench. He had guess what happened with Echo, but didn't mention it. His diaper was easy to hear in the small room with only a few people here. "You guys?"

"Yeah, just have to pick something up from my office real quick. Meet you at the car? We can ride together." Kace suggested.

"Cool. Meet you there." Elliott held out his hands as Kace tossed the keys and watched as he walked out. "Okay, we have to stop. By the mall today." Elliott said, turning to Echo.

"You thinking of getting him a birthday present?" Echo asked.

"Yeah, and I'm guessing you have the same thought." Elliott smiled. "Let's make a plan."


	14. Chapter 14

The plan was simple: Echo would distract Kace first, Elliott getting time to shop around before he would take over the distraction and Echo could go and shop. It would be easy enough, Echo still needed a few things and Elliott easily being able to lie about what he needs. They nodded heads as Echo took shotgun and Elliott hopped in the back, waiting for Kace.

Kace was walking through the tunnels back to his office, forgetting to turn in a file before the party. He unlocked the door and stepped in, switching in his light. He rummaged around his unorganized desk and found something besides the file.

It was a drawing of himself as he sat at the desk. It took him a second before he realized what it was. Echo must have done it after asking for something to draw on. Kace has assumed he's just scribble on the paper and get bored, but the drawing was detailed and shaded to realism, passing many pieces of art he'd seen.

He hated to fold it, but that was the only was he was going to get past Echo without him blushing. So he folded it three times before putting it in his back pocket and looking around once more for the file. It had to be here somewhere.

When he finally found it, he dropped it off at the min office effort getting to the truck, Elliott and Echo already settled in as he hopped up and buckled himself in. He'd have to start taking the SUV here soon.

"Hey, can we stop by the mall? Echo still needs a few thing and it'll just be easier to go there instead of a bunch of stores" Elliot asked before they set off.

"Yeah, we can do that." Kace backed up the truck and headed towards the mall.

It was a short ride to the mall, Kace pulling the truck into a parking spot before turning it off and hoping out. Elliott hopped out of the back and Echo came out the front, both of the meeting up with Kace in the middle.

"So, what all do we need?" Kace asked as the walked towards the door into the mall.

"I was hoping he could get his own sheet and comforter set." Elliott said, holding the door open as they walked in. "He also needs a phone, and some more clothes. Diversity."  
Echo looked up at Elliott. "A new sheet set?"

"And comforter, yes." Elliott nodded his head, agreeing with his own thoughts. "You're going to be here a while, right. No reason to use that lame bedding I have in there. You're welcome to decorate how you want."

Echo hadn't really minded the bedding,but the thought of being able to pick out something new and just for him was really fun. "Okay!" He smiled.

Elliott had just kind of dropped that on him, but it would be a good use of time. And Elliott wouldn't have to worry about Echo revealing everything too much if he was distracted.

"Alright, well, you start with Dillard's and JCPenny, and I'll head over to the Sprint store and look around for something phone wise." Elliott said, already breaking away from the group.  
"Okay, have fun." Kace said, pushing Echo towards the JCPenny.

Echo was suddenly very aware of the noise his diaper was making, afraid that other people would notice as he walked into the store. Kace could see him walking tesla and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"No one will notice here." He smiled. "Would take people looking past their own nose to."

Echo looked up at Kace and nodded, still unsure if he was right, but not minding the comforting.

They walked upstairs to the kids and home, because that was the only thing that Echo would fit in. Echo didn't mind though, there were many more color shirt up here with the kid's stuff than down in the adult department. They looked around, Kace keeping and eye out for pajamas and Echo just looking around. He found a few shirts, one Batman, one Green Lantern, and one Flash.

"Ah, spanning out from Superman to the whole DC universe now, huh?" Kace joked as Echo put a Night Wing shirt in the basket.

"DC is cool." He said. "They have Superman."

Kace laughed. "What about Marvel?"

"They may have better movies, but DC has more fe kind and famous characters. Besides, Marvel hasn't really plans ahead. When all their movies are released and they changed the whole universe, then what? It's okay for new fans, but the older ones want the classics." Echo said seriously. "DC redid their whole line of people back in 2011 for new readers, keeping all of them and setting their comics back to issue one. It makes much more sense."

Kace raised an eye brow. "Really know your stuff, huh?"

Echo smiled. "Superheroes are fun!" He shrugged and turned back around to look at more stuff.

Kace smiled and shook his head, not understanding a thing he had said before. He'd have to look it up later. He turned the cart around to look at another area when he saw the best pair of PJ's ever. He took them off the shelf before showing Echo, wanting to surprise him later that night. He pushed it into the basket under all of the other stuff and made sure to make it discrete.

"Let's go look at bedding sets." Kace suggested, Exho nodding and following his to the other side of the floor.

They passed through the kitchen section, Kace grabbing so,etching off the shelf while Echo was looking at a Superman coffee mug. He didn't like coffee, but he did like the blue symbol. They then moved on to bedding section, looking over the patterns and sized.

"What size is my bed?" Echo asked, looking at the sizing chart.

"Has to be a queen at least." Kace pulled out a pattern that Echo shook his head no at.  
"How do you know?"

"'Cause any smaller and we wouldn't both fit." Kace joke.

Echo smiled and pulled out a bag of DC themed bedding. "What about this?"

Kace laughed. "It's whatever you want. Is it in a queen size?"

Echo looked the bag over and pointed to his proof. Kace smiled at he as he gleefully put the bag into the cart and skipped off, diaper crinkling.

Kace followed behind, pushing the cart to the elevators. "Let's get some lunch from the food court."

Echo nodded as they got into the can and pushed the button to go down a floor. The doors beeped and opened to let them out. Kace pushed the cart over to the counter and the cashier started to ring them up.

Elliott had just finished getting Kace a gift and was now heading back to the JCPenny he'd seen the, walk into. He had Echo's new phone in the box, charged and activated and ready for use. He hadn't known what kind of phone Echo would want, and decided on intuition to pick one out. After they had added a new line to his account and activated the phone, Elliott picked out a case from the display off to the side. Echo had a habit of dropping things, so he got a thick blue case and had the man at the store put on a thick screen protector. 

"This should protect it?" Elliott asked. His brother had a way of breaking things.

"At this point, you could run over it with a truck and the most you'd have to do is brush off the dust." The man laughed.

"Great, thanks." Elliott said.

"Hey, aren't you the quarter back for the Thunderbirds?" The guys asked.

"No," He lied. "But I'm told we look a lot alike." He gave the man a smile for extra measure.

"Oh, okay then. Have a good day." They shook hands and Elliott walked out and to the next store. 

He wanted to get Kace a pair of Polo shoes. Elliott wasn't much of a brand name guy besides for the ones that he endorsed, so he walked into the store clueless. Kace had mentioned a while back that he'd like a nice pair of gray Polo shoes because he could wear them with anything.

"Is there anything I could help you with?" A lady in slacks and a white blouse asked.

"Actually, yeah." Elliott was grateful for the help. "I need a pair of gray Polos."

"We can do that. What size?"

"Twelves, I think." He said, guessing. He and Kace were about the same hight. 

"Are these for you?" The lady asked, turning around to lead him down an isle.

"A friend. He's mentioned a few times that he'd like a pair and his birthday is tomorrow." 

Elliott followed her to an isle listed Polo and waited as the lady pulled a box off the shelf.  
She say it down on a bench and opened the box. "Will these work?" She asked.

Elliott looked them over. "Will these last?" He asked.

"Yes sir, all Polo products are made to last. If you have any problems, you're welcome to comeback tot the store. We promise to replace any shoe with problems related to the item."  
Elliott nodded and picked up the box. "Great, I'll take them."

The lady nodded and and checked him out quickly. 

Elliott walked briskly towards JCPenny, hopping they were still there. He found them in the check outline and waved, then waited for them at the door. Echo ran up to him and smiled, bags in hand.

"Hey, want to get some lunch?" Kace asked as he caught up.

"Gosh, yes. I'm starving." Elliott rubbed his stomach for effect and they headed off for the foo court.


	15. Chapter 15

They sat at the table as Elliott gave Echo a run down of his new phone. Kace had been the one to order everyone's food and bring it back.

"So you click on that button at the bottom and it'll take you back to the home screen." Elliott said.

Echo clicked the circle button and said, "Cool." He was having fun with this. 

Elliott had already added his and Kace's number in and put himself as his ICE contact, then set up his medical ID in case anything happened. "We'll get you set up on the WiFi at home and I'll sign you in to Nerflix. You'll have a lot of fun with that."

Echo smiled as he messed around with the phone, taking pictures of them as they sat around. His feet were pulled up into the chair with his as he looked at all the apps.

"Alright, enough with the phone. Let's eat, okay." Kace said, putting a hand gently on Echo's knee.  
Echo sighed, but put the phone face down and started on his chicken nuggets.

They finished eating quickly and started around the mall again. Echo had no idea what excuse he was going to use to get away from Elliott and Kace in order to get a present, considering the fact that he didn't really need anything else.

That, and the fact that he'd rather not be alone in a big place like this. He'd kept close to Kace and Elliott the whole time and hadn't really paid attention as they walked around. Luckily, Elliott had a plan. He was smart like that.

"Hey, let's go in here." Elliott said, pointing towards a craft store.

Kace nodded and checked to make sure Echo was following. He dropped his bags at the front of the store and kept an eye on them as they walked around.

"Here's your chance, Echo." Elliot whispered to him. "Go to the store next door and get something. You've got about ten minutes."

Echo smiled and nodded, leaving his bags next to Kace's and jumping over to the store next door.  
It took his a while to see everything they had before he could choose so,etching, and, being rushed by a time limit, picked up a shirt that read just here for food and another one with the Superman shield on it and paid, hurrying back to the craft store.

Elliott's job was to make sure Echo's presence wasn't missed, but with the way Kace was scanning the room, it would be hard.

"Where's Echo?" He asked quietly.

Elliott shrugged. "Few isles over or something. Looking around. Why?"

Kace scanned once more before he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. He unfolded it and showed Elliott the drawing. "He did this today just sitting in my office."

Elliott took it out of Kace's hands to get a better look. "He did this?"

"Yeah." Kace smiled. "It's kind of amazing."

"He's always been good at art, but I never thought he'd gotten to this level." Elliott handed the paper back to Kace. "He took a few classes in college after I pushed him, but he hardly went to any of them."

"I think we should get him a few things. Just so he can go crazy and draw away." Kace said, looking around. "We're here anyway."

Elliott nodded. "Defiantly." 

They walked around the store, picking up pencils and sketchbooks and a few other supplies and buying them before Echo came back.

Echo walked into the store and saw them at the cashier. He quickly put his new bag inside one of the others and skipped over. "Hey." He smiled.  
"Hey, we're almost finished here. You ready to go home?" Kace said as Elliot slid his card.

"Yup!" He smiled.

Elliott helped with some of the bags this time and Kace took the rest, leaving Echo empty handed. Not that he really minded. The bags got heavy after a while and his arms still hurt from the last time. Instead, he just walked beside them happily.  
They got home quickly and unloaded the truck and headed inside. 

"I hungry." Echo complained as they took his stuff up stairs.

"How are you hungry? We just ate lunch!" Elliott asked, heaving the bag with the new comforter up the stairs.

"That was two hours ago." Kace mentioned, opening Echo's door.

"Still, how?" Elliott put the bag down by the bed and leaned back to stretch his back. The bag hadn't been heavy, just awkward to hold.

"After we put everything away we'll get a snack." Kace said, sighing. There wasn't much, so it shouldn't take long.

"Okay." Echo moaned. He flopped down on the bed and waited for Elliott to leave. Kace helped pull off the old sheets and threw them into a pile to be put away later. Echo held down one corner as Kace put on the other for the new sheets.

Echo didn't say anything as he helped, but he was really excited about it. Too excited to notice as his bladder lost its contents into the padding surrounding his area. He looked up from the sheets as he noticed. He didn't was Kace to know, so he just carried on like nothing happened, trying hard to not walk awkwardly as he grabbed his pillow and pulled off the old case. He tried to put the pillow into the new one, but was having trouble with it.

"Want some help?" Kace asked, taking the pillow case from Echo to help.

Echo gave a small smile. "Thanks."

"No problem. Just got to ask and I'd be happy to help." Kace said.

Echo nodded no blushed, hoping Kace hadn't noticed if his diaper was sagging.

They put the rest of the bed together as a knock came on the door. Elliott poked his head in and smiled as he saw the bed. "Looks good."  
Echo smiled back, proud.

"I have a radio that's never used. Figured you want it." Elliott said, coming into the room and setting a CD player on the dresser. "You used to like it when music was playing. Never turned off any radio once it was on."

Echo blushed as Elliott smiled over at him innocently. He did like the radio on if he was in his room, but it's not like Kace needed to know that.

"That'll be nice, huh?" Kace said, shaking Echo's shoulder before walking over to the dresser and plugging it into the outlet. "Do you have any CD's?"

Echo was about to say yes, but realized he'd left his collection behind when he took off. Instead, he just stood in silence, morning the loss of the only thing he'd really enjoyed back at that place.

"I think I still have some of the ones from a while ago." Elliott said, pointing outside the room.   
"Really?" Echo asked, surprised that he'd even know to keep the CD's.

"Yeah, somewhere. I'll look around for them if you two want to start dinner." Elliott was out the door before either of them had a chance to realized it was five going on six.

"How'd that happen?" Echo asked.

"Guess when you're busy, you don't notice." Kace laughed and pulled out the Superman PJ's throwing them to Echo. "Thought you might like those."

Echo looked at the Superman shields that covered the cloth and smiled up at Kace, running towards him for a hug.

Kace was taken aback as the small boy ran up to him and gripped him tightly around the chest as best he could. He didn't know what to do at first, then his instincts took over and he hugged Echo back tightly

He didn't want to let go, liking the warm embrace of the larger man, but Kace pushed him back to see his face. "I know this is weird for you, but I really do care about you, okay?" Kace didn't want to say how much he'd grown to adore Echo, but it wasn't the right time.

Echo nodded and smiled up at Kace, hugging him once more. 

"I don't care what happens, okay? I don't care about the way you act a little young or that you have accidents." Kace lifted him off the floor. "I think I just makes you better. But, to me, you're just Echo."

Echo had to close his eyes tightly and pushed his face into Kace's shirt, trying not to cry. Kace gently rubbed the boy's hair until he pulled away and looked around the room.

"I wish everyone could be like you." He sniffled. It was nice to have someone who just saw him for him instead of the sum of his parts. He was deaf, yes. And he had a weak bladder, yes. And he did act like a little kid, yes. But he wasn't just the sum of his parts, and for some reason, no one ever saw it any other way. But Kace, he did. Even if they'd only know each other a short time, he just got it. 

"You don't always need everyone to understand everything that matters, just one person who understands everything that matters to you." said, looking deep into Echo's eyes, seeing the deep want of acceptance and love that had been there for so long. "I'll be that if you want."

Echo nodded and looked up at Kace. "I'll do if for you, too."

Kace smiled and pulled him in for another tight hug.


	16. Chapter 16

They walked down stairs to make dinner, deciding on chicken, rice, and broccoli. Echo took his normal spot at the island to watch as Kace peeped and cooked the whole meal. His diaper was till wet and was starting to get cold, but he was having too much fun just watching to ask to be changed. 

And he still didn't know how to do it himself.

"You want something to drink?" Kace asked, opening the fridge to pull out the broccoli.

"Yes!" Echo exclaimed and jumped off the stool, running for the fridge and ducking under Kace's arm to reach for his mango juice.

"Alright, alright. You could have just said something. I could have gotten it out." Kace joked, gently taking the bottle form Echo to pour it into a cup.

Echo blushed and returned to his seat to wait. Kace placed the full cup in front of him. Echo smiled his thanks and drank it down, asking for more when he emptied it. Kace laughed and filled it once more, watching as Echo downed it too.

"Why don't we do water for a bit?" Kace said, this time filling the cup with tap water before putting it in front of him.

Echo moaned but sipped on it anyway, watching as Kace took the tray of chicken out of the oven and shouting Elliott's name.

Elliott came down to the smell of food as Kace platted the food and sat it down at the table. "This looks great. You really need to be a chef or something." Elliott exclaimed as he dug in.

"Nah, tried it. Really not as fun as it sounds." Kace laughed. "Besides, working for the Thunderbirds pays a lot better."

This time Echo laughed. "I was a chef at this little family restaurant once and I couldn't seem to make anything right." He looked over to Kase smiling. "At a certain point, the customers started coming back and making their meals themselves."

The table busted out with laughter. "Was that before of after he job as a Sonic car-hop?" Elliott asked.

"After. I remember because my butt still hurt." Echo laughed.

"How many job have you had!" Kace asked.  
Echo shrugged. "Lost count." 

"Hey, you remember when you had that job as a car wash worker in college and them kept making you hold the sigh so people thought it was for the Boy Scouts?" Elliott coerced his moth to keep food from going over the table as he spoke.

Echo rolled his eyes. "Gosh, yeah. No one believed me when I said I was 19! One of the people even yelled at the GM for making a kid work. It was funny to watch."

Kace laughed hard. "They yelled at him?"

"Oh yeah, could have heard it down the street. I as rolling around on the floor because I was laughing so hard." Echo smiled. All of those jobs had ended for one reason or another, but that job had defiantly been the funniest to lose. He never quit. People just always seemed to let him go.

Kace changed the subject after seeing Echo turn away from his food. "So, how are you all doing at practice? The new linebacker coming in well?"

"Oh, yeah, he's great." Elliott said and started into a long conversation about football.

Echo was grateful for the change of subject and ate a few more bites, finishing most of his plate before he got up to take it to the kitchen. Kace and Elliott followed behind him, placing their plates in the sink and already starting to wash up.

"Hey, what do you want to do tomorrow for your birthday dinner?" Elliott asked as they worked.  
"I don't know. I could make--"

"No no no." Elliott cut him off. "You don't cook on your birthday. Where do you want to go to eat?"  
Kace shrugged. "I don't really mind. A steak house maybe?"

"Steak house it is!" Elliott cheered, Echo joining in. "Before then, we can just chill all day and I'll make the food and we can swim and watch TV and just hang."

Kace smiled. "Thanks."

Echo sat in his normal seat at the island smiling. He wanted to jump up and hug them both, but another release from his bladder stopped him. The diaper, luckily, held it but it would sat noticeably by now. A small seed of panic rose in his throat as he realized what happened and he couldn't believe it.

He glanced around the room nervously, his heart beating fast. How could this go so wrong, he asked himself. What happened for this to keep happening? He sat down, only making the diaper squish around his parts. He breathed in sharply when it started to hurt, like a piece of sand paper rubbing against his legs. He hadn't noticed before because he could never sit flat on a seat. He always sat on his leg of kneeled in a seat.

"You okay?" Kace asked after noticing the boy's discomfort.

"Yeah." Echo lied, putting on his best smile.  
Kace could tell it was a lie, and was happy when Elliott hadn't turned around yet. "Hey, why don't we get to bed? It's been a long day and we have a busy day of nothing tomorrow."

"Yeah, cool," Elliott said, standing up straight. "See you two in the morning."

"See you." Echo and Kace said together, waving as Elliott headed up the back stairs.

When he was gone, Kace turned to Echo. "So what's wrong?" He asked, brow tight as he came around the island and looked Echo up and down.

"No-nothing." Echo had a hard time shifting in his seat without wincing.

"That doesn't look like nothing." Kace said. He picked Echo up under the armpits, an easy task for a man who could bench 250. Echo breathed in sharply at the movement as Kace noticed the sagging diaper. "If you needed change you could have just told me."

Echo whimpered as Kace carried him upstairs, every movement sending new spikes of pain don his legs and up his spine. When the man finally sat him down on the floor, Kace noticed that the diaper seemed really soaked for just one wetting.

Kace pulled the tapes off and berthed in deeply when he saw des splotches of rash starting up. "Echo! Why didn't you tell me you were wet earlier! Oh, baby boy, this looks like it hurts."

Echo didn't like the word baby, but that want really his main concern as tears came to his eyes. It really, really hurt. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Let's just take a shower, okay. Get you cleaned up and dry." Kace lite Echo to his feet as he nodded, a tear falling down his face.

Kace turned on the shower and tested it with his arm before pulling off Echo's shirt and hearing aides and helping him in. Echo didn't seem very responsive even as Kace rubbed him down with body wash and took care around his area before lifting him back out and lying him back onto the floor for a second to dry him off. He looked more like a limp noodle than a boy.

"You feeling okay?" Kace asked after working the small hearing devices back into his ears.

Echo's eyes seemed to be starring nowhere until he hear Kace's voice. He nodded yes, but tears started to well up in his eyes as he shook his head no instead. "Everything is so wrong." He cried.

Kace shushed him and pulled Echo into his arms. "It's okay, nothing is wrong. What do you think it is that's so wrong to be crying about, huh? I'm right here, your brother's down the hall, you've got a nice warm bed waiting for you back in your room. What's so wrong, huh?"

Echo hook his head into Kace's shirt. "I don't want to be me anymore." He cried. 

"There is absolutely-positutly nothing wrong with you." Kace said, rocking lightly. 

"Then how come no one likes me? How come everyone leaves and finds some one better." His breaths were stuttered due to his sobs and he shook violently with each word.

"Do I look like chopped liver? Echo, I like you, okay. I like you as you are, I told you that." He said lightly with a touch of humor to add a light hearted feel to the conversation. "And I'll never leave. Ever."

Echo listen to the words as he feel asleep in Kace's warmth. He was still naked, but Kace kept him covered and arm until he lightly drifted off and calmed down. He put Echo on the floor lightly and strapped a diaper around his waist before dressing him in his Superman PJ's and putting him onto his bed. He had to hold back a laugh as Echo settled in and gripped his blankie tightly.

"Good night bud." Kace said, kissing his forehead before walking for the door.

Echo woke himself up after screaming no in his head after hearing Kace walking away. The last one come out full on, "No!"

Kace jumped for a second before turning around to confront Echo. "I'm not leaving, I'll be right back, okay. I won't make you sleep alone."

Echo nodded his head, heart beating but body too tired to do anything about it. He closed his eyes again and listened as Kace walked out. Echo was afraid he would come back until he heard the door open again and foot steps as someone came in. The bed squeaked as Kace laid down and covered himself up. Echo flipped over and cuddled in next to Kace.

Kace smiled and played with the boy's hair until he was sound asleep, Kace following behind.


	17. Chapter 17

Echo woke up the next morning in the same state as the last two: wet and leaning against Kace. He didn't want to get up yet and he was still tired, so he closed his eyes and feel back asleep. They slept in until 10, but would have gone longer had Elliott not been knocking on the door.

"Hey Echo, I'm about to make breakfast." He yelled through the door, waking Echo and Kace up. "Hurry up and get dressed!"

Echo let out a moan as Elliott walked back down the hall. Kace moved around, pulling Echo in an a,ward hug before getting up. "Come one, bud."

He sighed and sat up, the rash still there but less intense. He only barely remembered Kace putting him down last night and wrapping a diaper around him, but he'd been to tired for anything to be compleat lay clear. "I'm tired." Echo wined.

"I know, but we need to get you changed and then we can just chill all day." Kace smiled at him.

"Oh." Echo smiled as he remembered. "Happy birthday!"

"Thank you." Kace smiled. "Let's get you changed, okay?"

Echo nodded and crawled out from the covers and ran towards the bathroom. It was only when he way lying down that he noticed he had on the Superman pajamas. He smiled up at Kace and played with the seems as he was changed.

"Your rash looks better. Not as red." Kace told him, rubbing him down with more rash cream before tapping the straps down and patting his belly. "Think you can get dressed on your own?" Echo nodded as Kace helped him up. "Okay, then I'll go get dressed and meet you for breakfast."

Echo nodded and smiled as Kace walked out of the room. He got dressed quickly in a pair of shorts that he'd gotten yesterday and his Flash shirt, then brushed his teeth and threw a brush through his jar before walking downstairs.

Elliott stood over a pan of frying eggs, looking up at Echo as he came in. "Hey, did you get his present?"

"It's upstairs." He said, taking his spot at the island.

"Well, go get it. He can open it with breakfast." Elliott said, shooing Echo back up stairs.  
Echo smiled and ran up the stairs as quickly as his padded bum would let him. He pulled the bag out from under his bed and sat it down, looking around for the gift bag he's gotten to put it in. He found it quickly and stuffed everything inside, filling the empty space with tissue paper. He walked back down stairs and back to the kitchen, setting the bag down on the counter.

"Looks good." Elliott said after glancing over his shoulder. 

Kace came in through the sliding doors and walked to the kitchen, Jake tailing happily behind. "Smells good." He smiled, rustling Echo's hair before sitting next to him. "So, chef Elli, what's for breakfast?"

"Elli?" Elliott eyes Kace, who smiled innocently. "Haven't been called that in a while. Eggs, bacon, I've got waffles in the iron and," he checked the oven quickly. "Hash browns."  
"Quite the lay out." Kace laughed. 

"I try." Elliott said with a small accent that Echo couldn't place. "It'll be ready in a few."  
"Alright." Kace said, stepping down and walking off to the living room. Echo followed behind as Kace set up the xBox and turned it on. The screen flashed as the xBox logo swept on to the screen and left to show a home screen. "Wanna play a game?"

Echo shrugged. "What game?"

"Whatever you want. Your brother has a thing for sports games, but they're not my favorite. We have some of the other stuff too, Minecraft and such." Kace went through the games tab and showed him everything.

"I love Minecraft!" He cheated, taking a seat on the couch close to Kace. "I used to watch people play all the time!"

"You ever played yourself?" Kace eyed him.

"Once. I wasn't very good, but it was fun." Echo smiled up at him.

Kace let out a laugh. "No one can suck at Minecraft. That's what makes it cool. No two people play the same." He rustled Echo's hair before saying, "Grab the other controller. We can play until Elli finishes breakfast."

Echo hopped off the couch and ran to get a controller off the shelf and came back to resume his spot. Kace queued up the game and they started playing. It took Echo a second to figure out the controls, but once he did, he started making a house. 

The small house had turned into a large tower with several floors by the time Elliott called them back to the kitchen. Kace stood up and Echo followed and they made their way to the table.

It was set with plates, forks, and cups, the food sitting on platters in the middle. "Eat up!" Elliott smiled.

"When did you learn to cook?" Echo asked, sitting down. 

"A while ago." Elliott smiled. "Got to show the girls I'm sensitive some how."

Kace laughed and pulled his plate high with food. "This is great." He smiled at Elliott, mouth full of food.

"Glad you like it." Elliott smiled, going back to his food.

They ate most of what was made, Echo eating at least half of the bacon, which made Kace happy to see him eating more. They talked about nothing and everything, the conversation shifting from story to story. When they finished, Echo and Elliott cleaned up, telling Kace that it was his birthday and he shouldn't have to do anything.

Kace would have rather helped, but the twins were persistent and he ended up sitting on the couch. He'd liked when Echo was leaning against him playing the game, his hands fumbling around the buttons, and not having him there felt a little weird to Kace. Echo had clung to him the whole time he'd been here, and Kace liked it. He liked having a little again, even if Echo didn't know it.

Two years ago, when Kace had first found out what he was, he hadn't known how to deal with it. "Normal people don't do this stuff." He'd huffed at himself all night after doing a day of Internet searches to find out as much as he could. "They just don't."

Everything said there was nothing wrong with it, but that's didn't mean that he didn't feel like there was something wrong with _him ___. It was weird, first of all. This liking of diapers and other things. He'd had it in the back of his mind for all his life, but it was controlled. Always controlled. But he couldn't do it anymore. Ignoring the diapers had sent him to other things, mostly to do with bars and one night stands.

_He wanted a meaningful relationship, but hanging at bars and sticking with nothing more than one night stands left him with a hole. A hole that had only one thing to fill it. That's when he meet Will._

_Will was a smaller guy, standing even shorter than Echo with dark hair and brown eyes like a deer's. He had this way around Kace, a way of knowing what he wanted. They'd meet after a few girls at a bar started picking on him for his size._

_"Back off." Kace has said, stepping between the girls and the small boy who looked like a deer in headlights._

_"What's wrong, baby?" On of the ladies said with a sly smile. "Why not be a real man and get him out of our sights. Then we can have some fun."_

_Kace was so grossed out he wanted to puke. "How about you act like a real lady and not pick on someone for something they can't help." He shot back. He didn't like girls and he defiantly didn't like bullies._

_The girls scowled at Kace, but strutted away, flicking their hair as they went._

_"You okay?" He asked, turning around to face him._

_The shorter man shook his head. "Yeah, thanks." He gave Kace a small smile. "I'm Will."_

_"Kace." Kace held out his hand and Will took it, shaking it lightly. "They really were going at you, huh?"_

_"Yeah, one of them thought I was looking up her skirt. Which wouldn't have been so stupid if they listened to me." He wiped of his hands on his jeans. "Impossible on so many levels."_

_"How's that?" Kace asked, walking back into a bar, Will following._

_"I don't think you really want to know." Will laughed and rubbed the back of his head._

_"If it's because you don't think I'll believe you, I'm pretty open minded." Kace took a seat at the bar and ordered a drink._

_"You sure?" Will asked, following suit and getting himself a drink as well. With a nod from Lace, he went on. "Well, first off, a gentleman does not look up a lady's skirt. Second, I don't have any interest in women."_

_Kace looked at him for a second, then laughed. "Good for you. Women are strange creators."_

_"You too?" Will asked._

_"Yup." He took a large swig of his beer and sat it back on the bar._

_"Good for you." Will held up his glass and Kace picked his up, clinking hem together, then chugging the rest._

_They spent the better part of the night at the bar talking, until Will was so drunk he couldn't see straight. Kace had stopped a while back, but the buzz still hung around his mind. They caught a cab back to Will's place, Kace currently in between places to live. (Meaning he was living out of his car.)_

_"I am so totally soaked." Will laughed as he fumbled around for his keys. Kace caught them before the feel out of the man's shaking hands and opened the door, letting Will flip on a light before he stepped in._

_The apartment was decorated with a few stuffed animals and colorful furniture. It was a small apartment but roomy in the way everything was arranged. "Nice place." Kace said, stepping to the side as Will moved to close the door._

_"Thanks." He walked over to the couch and flopped down. "I'm tired."_

_"Hey, we haven't had any fun yet." Kace laughed, sitting down next to him._

_Will giggled and sat up, putting his face close to Kace's. "I have... Unusual tastes."_

_"Did you just quote Fifty Shades of Gray?" Kace asked, laughing. "Are you some S and M freak?"_

_"No." Will smiled. "Better."_

_"Better?" Kace laughed. "Now I'm interested."_

_Will smiled and got up, pulling his pants down and exposing something Kace found very interesting._


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you realize how many chapters there are to this, I totally forgot that this part was something I actually wrote...

Will stood in a diaper that was strapped around his waist with a smug smile on his face. He half expected Kace to get grossed out and dart for the door. Instead, Kace sat on the couch, just looking.

Then, when his mouth finally did open, it wasn't what Will was expecting. "Cool."

Will eyed him before looking at him affectionately. "You don't care?"

"Every one has their thing." Kace cleared his throat. "And this just happens to be one of mine too."

"You're ABDL?" Will asked, sitting down on the floor.

"I don't--I'm not sure about that, but I know that I may like this short of thing." He sat on the edge of the couch and looked at Will.

"You really... Don't mind?" Will's eyes filled with hope.

"No." Kace said, making his mind up at that moment. 

That moment set off a year long relationship of ups and downs. It wasn't just fun for Will, but for Kace as well. For once in his life, he was held responsible for something more than a rock. And Will enjoyed being a led to be his real self. It almost seemed like it would never end, their happiness growing larger and fuller each day. Until it didn't.

It didn't snap like an old branch in a bad storm, no. That may have been easier. But faded, like fog when the sun hits it, gently weening away until, before you could notice it, it was gone.

Will started talking to some one over the Internet. Kace didn't really mind it, it was just an internet friend. But then they started talking more and more and Will pushed away. Kace held on to him with every lunch of strength he had, but as Will became more involved with his internet friend and less concerned with Kace's wants.

Kace couldn't stop it as Will started coming home less and less, later and later. They both had jobs, he got that. But they'd always put aside time for each other. Then, Will just stopped giving excuses, leaving notes, coming and going as he pleased and leaving Kace in the wind as his internet friend became more prudent.

Kace didn't see it at first, or more, didn't want to see it. But when Will left and didn't return home for several days, he took the message and packed his bags. He didn't know where he was going to go or what he was going to do, but Will didn't want him anymore and Kace was done trying.

That's when he met Elliott.

\--

Echo plopped down on the couch next to Kace, pulling him out of his thoughts. "You ready?" He asked, pulling his feet up and leaning against Kace.

Kace smiled down at him. "Yeah."

Echo eyed him for a second. "Are you okay?"

"What do you mean, 'am I okay'?" Kace laughed. "I've got you two and Jake and it's my birthday. Why wouldn't I be okay?"

Echo shrugged. "You just looked sad."

"I'll be okay." Kace smiled. "How's your tower going?"

Echo turned back to the game, the distraction working. "It's going really well. Look, I have a library!" He walked into a room and moved the view around.

"That's cool." Kace said, genuinely impressed. "And you say you've only ever played once."  
Echo smiled proudly and went back to the game.

Elliott came in and laughed at the sight of his twin nestled up to Kace, a little closer than was normal for most men. "You want to open presents now or later?" He asked Kace.

"Now!" Echo cheered, jumping up and running for the bag he'd sat down in the kitchen and returning with it for Kace.

"Now I guess." Kace laughed and took the bag. "You all really didn't have to get me anything."

"Shut up and open the bag." Elliott laughed, handing over his not-so-expertly-wrapped gift.  
Kace rolled his eyes and pulled out the tissue paper, finding the two shirts Echo had gotten for him. "These are awesome!" Kace smiled, hugging Echo before holding the shirts up to heels elf and laughing. "How do I look?"

"Like a superhero!" Echo said gleefully.

Kace laughed, then opened the box, eyes wide as he noticed what was inside. "Elli, you really didn't have to." He pulled out the shoe and looked up and his (technically) landlord. "This is awesome man, thank you." Kace stood up and hugged Elliott.

Echo didn't get why he would be so uped about a pair of shoes. Especially boring gray ones like that. Shoes were only fun if they were colorful and comfy.

Kace leaned back and looked at the twins once more, surprised to find that they had the same smile on their face. "This is great guys. Thanks. A lot."

"Hey, day's only half over." Elliott laughed. "We've still got a lot to do. And that pool outside is calling our names."


	19. Chapter 19

Echo sat on the side of the pool, his feet dipped in the water as he watched Kace float around. He had on a pair of bright orange swim trunks tied tightly around his waist, but nothing underneath. He'd been a little lost a first, about whether or not to worry about it. But Kace had told him it was okay if he didn't have on a diaper because pools were made to pee in.

"That's why they have chlorine." He said. Echo had nodded and put the trucks on, then made his way out side.

"Is a great day." Elliott smiled over at him from inside the pool. 

He was right. The day was a comfortable 85 degrees with low humidity: the perfect day fore swimming.

"Yeah." Echo nodded, kicking the water around with his feet. He leaned back onto the tile around the pool and closed his eyes against the sun. He liked the way the sun spread warmth over his thickly applied sun screened skin.

"Echo! Why don't you come in?" Kace asked, guarding his face as Elliott threw a ball to have Jake jump in. Jake followed, slash getting to Echo.

"Nah, I'm good. Thank you, though!" Echo said, looking over at Kace as he ran to get the ball before Jake could.

"Why not?" Kace asked. He looked over to Elliott with an eyebrow raised.

Elliott sighed and moved closer to Kace. "If he came in, he'd have to take his hearing aides out." He pointed to his ears in an absent minded way. "Scares him. Although, this is the longest he's gone without taking them out or throwing them across the room that I know of."  
Kace could easily imagine it. The water rushed over his head as he dove into the he water and over to Echo's feet. He touched one before coming up to say hi.

Echo sat up, smiling.

"Hey, take those things out and come in." Kace said lightly.

"What things?" Echo asked, then remembered. "Oh. No, I'm good. I really not that big a swimmer."

"Well, I'll be here. And it's a lot of fun." Kace tried to sway him. "And I'll be your ears for you." He leaned in closer to Echo to say that last line.

Echo really wanted to get in, he always did. But there were so many things that could go wrong. His mom had told him never to go, even when Elliott was going with friends to a local pool, Echo always had to stay home. This resulted in more than one problem at the moment. "I don't know how to swim." He finally admitted.

"Then I'll teach you. Come on." He held his hands out to catch Echo if he decided to come.  
Echo looked at Kace, then the water, then back at Kace, wondering if it was worth the risk. He nodded and pulled his feet out of the water.

Kace thought he'd lost as Echo ran to one of the chairs. It wasn't until Kace saw him pulling something away from his ear that he noticed what was going on. A large smile spread across his face as Echo ran back, taking his spot back and leaning forward for Kace to ease him into the water.

It was a simple job for Kace, mostly because the kid weighed about a pack of feathers and the pool was only three feet deep at that point. Echo was tentative as the water lapped around his stomach, but Kace didn't let a hand off him.

Echo looked over at Elliott who leaned against the side of the pool, Jake standing with his tong out next to him.

Look who's in the pool, Elliott signed with a smile.

Echo smiled and signed back, I want to learn to swim.

Elliott laughed, or so Echo assumed because he couldn't hear, but I looked like he did. Good luck, his brother sent back to him with a large grin across his face.

Kace tried the best he could to explain some of what they would be doing in slaughtered sign language. He'd been trying to teach himself for a while now, but had only learned a few words. Luckily, he was a good charades player and Echo was able to fill in the blanks.

Echo was unsure of this, his doubt clear on his face. But Kace didn't take him out of the places where he could reach, and Echo was soon having fun with it. He held tight to Kace's hand but was jumping around in the water, splashing Elliott every time the got close to him, starting a small water fight. Even if he couldn't hear, Echo could tell everyone was laughing by the smiles on their faces. 

"I'm going to go get something to snack on and a drink. You want anything?" He both said and signed.

"Water would be nice." Kace said, Echo signing the same thing.

"Alright, I'll be back in a second." Elliott said, turning around and heading inside.

Kace turned back to Echo and held his hands as he pushed him into his stomach. He showed him that he wanted him to kick by moving his own feet back and forth until Echo nodded. Kace pulled him along as Echo kicked as hard as he could, making big swipes with his feet and trying hard to keep level with the water.

They stopped when Elliott came out with waters and grapes, getting out of the water and sitting down ant one of the tables that surrounded the pool. Echo dried off his ears and put his aide back in, turning them on to follow the conversation once more.

"So, how's it going?" Elliott asked.

"It's alright. He won't be a Micheal Phelps any time soon, but at least he's trying." Kace smiled over at Echo and rustled his wet hair.

Echo grinned up at Kace. "It was fun."

"Cool. I'm sure you'll get it, bro. You pick up on stuff pretty fast." Elliott popped a grape in his mouth and took a swig of water.

"Drink up, alright." Kace told Echo after noticing he hadn't even had a sip yet.

Echo looked over at the water and frowned, but picked it up and drank a swig.

"Hey, I've got to go get something." Elliott said, patting the table and standing up.

"Yeah, I've got to go to the bathroom." Kace stood up and they walked inside, leaving Echo to his own devices. "So he never learned to swim?" He asked after closing the glass doors.

"No. Our mom didn't want him anywhere near water." Elliott sighed. "I used to go to the pool around us and he would beg to come, but mom always stood her ground. We even tried to sneak him out with us, but it didn't work."

"That's..." Kace really didn't have a word for it.

"It sucked." Elliott shrugged. "But, we live no were near any water, so it's ever really been a problem."

Kace sigh and nodded. He went to the bathroom, coming back as Elliott walked down the stairs. "What were you getting?"

Elliott held up the art supplies they'd gotten for Echo yesterday. "Figured if he didn't want to get back in he could have some fun with this."

Kace move his face into a good-idea face and looked out the window towards where Echo had been sitting. "Hey, where is he?"

Elliott moved his head to get a clearer look out the window. "Don't know. Did he come in?"  
They heard a loud splash, large enough to reach their ears through the wall as someone screamed.

Kace ran for the doors. "Echo!"


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes yes yes, I know, I'm a horrible person for leaving you at a cliff hanger. Hopefully, this will make up for it. XD
> 
> Also, working on a new Avengers Fic AU that I think you guys will like! Will post that soon!

Echo was just going to sit and enjoy the day, but he was hot and the pool looked fun. He got up after Elliott and Kace disappeared from view and walked towards the edge, leaving his aides at the table. Didn't want to get in without anyone there, so he just walked around on the tiles that surrounded the jelly bean pool.

He always liked jelly beans. Not the popcorn ones, those were nasty. But the cherry and apple and lemon and limes were good. His thoughts drifted around the candy store he'd seen at the mall, wanting to go in but not wanting to go alone or to ask. All the candy that had line the shelf looked really good, but his shyness got the better of him and they walked out without seeing it.

Much in the same way he didn't see the raccoon running towards him, Jake chasing him out of the yard. The raccoon darted to the right as Jake continued on, unable to stop before hitting Echo's teetering body and pushing him into the deep end.

Echo didn't know what was happening at first, unable to hear Jake as he barked or himself as he hit the water, but feeling as the water rushed past his body. It took a second before what happened registered in his brain and he realized air was no longer getting into his lungs.

Adrenalin was pumped through his system as he kicked and flared his feet, Kace's words from earlier lost on him as he panicked. His eyes rang out in pain as he opened them, the chlorine stinging them until they closed. He couldn't tell which way was up and which way was down. And all he could hear was his internal voice screaming "NO NO NO NO!"

His lungs hurt as something wrapped around him. He kicked against it, unable to hear or see what was going on. Kace pulled Echo's head out of the water, kicking to the side as Echo fought as hard as he could to be let go.

When air reached his lungs, Echo opened his eyes, pushing past the pain as chlorine dropped into them. He couldn't see anything clearly, panic driving his eyes wild. But he could feel as someone pulled him out and he could see the sky.

"Echo, Echo." Kace said, lightly slapping his face in hope of a response.

Echo tried to swat Kace's hand away as he fillings his lungs with air several times.

"That's it, deep breaths bud." Kace said. His face was tight in concern as Echo laid back, still not giving Kace any amount of thought.

As Echo started to come back to the world, he could see Kace standing above him, his eyes scanning over the boy. Echo coughed and looked up at Kace, his mind finally catching up to everything as tears feel down his already wet face. The tears turned to sobs as Kace lifted him up and wrapped him in a tight hug.

Kace tried his best to calm the boy, not knowing what to do besides hold him and pat his back.

Elliott had watched the whole prgression, seeing Kace's face turn from a loose grin to panic. He didn't see it all, but enough to see that Echo hadn't intentionally gotten in the pool's deep end, but not enough to understand why he was in that area. Elliott'sheart sank to his feet as Echo started thrashing around. Kace screamed and ran for the door, nearly crashing through it. Kace dove in, catching Echo under his arms as he pushed off the ground and to the surface.

Now, Elliott grabbed a towel and his brother's blue, yellow, and red hearing aides and walked over to the two wrapped around each other.

Echo didn't react as Elliott dried his ears and placed the hearing aides in, switching them on before asking, "You two okay?"

Kace nodded, standing up with Echo still wrapped round him and breathing heavily. "I think it's time to go in."

Elliott nodded and stepped out of the way and Kace walked back to the glass doors, taking the back steps to Echo's room.

"Let's dry you off, okay." Kace said softly as he opened the door. He walked to the bathroom to grab the fluffier towel he could find before sitting Echo down. He looked another two sizes smaller and thinner than normal, even though he'd been eating better. 

Kace gently rubbed the boy's head to dry off his longer hair, ruining a brush through it to get untangled and pulling off his swim trunks. A wet noodle may have been easier to work with as Echo refused to do anything. That would have meant a lot more to Kace had Echo not nearly died. Compleat and total trust was rare.

"Are you okay?" Kace asked, knowing the question was stupid but feeling the need to ask it anyway.

Echo felt a new wave of tears roll up as he said, "No."

Kace's eyes tightened with concern. "What can I do to help?" He asked, then, realized he didn't need to. Echo wouldn't respond anyway, and he knew what to do. "Why do we just go and take a nap, okay. Then we can just relax and sleep and not worry about any of this because it will be behind us? And when we wake up, it will feel like another day." He gave Echo a half hearted smile.

Echo nodded and closed his eyes tightly as Kace wrapped diaper around his waist to protect against any accidents. He was starting to like just wearing the diapers, especially when Kace put them on. He never felt a need to hide anything and he felt safe in an odd sort of way. His eyes were already droopy as Kace lifted him off the floor and pulled a shirt over his head.

When Echo was dressed, Kace picked him up and sat him down on the bed, pulling the covers up to his chin before climbing in himself. Echo cuddled right up to Kace, laying his head on the larger man's head.

"I'm sorry I ruined your birthday." Echo mumbled into Kace's shirt. 

After sleeping in here a few nights, he'd decided to fill a shelf with his own shirts and pants for when he didn't make it back to his room. "You didn't ruin my birthday, bud. We've still got dinner later tonight. So rest up so we can have fun and enjoy it."

Echo gave Kace a small smile before rubbing his tears onto his shirt and pulling the blanket up farther, the day catching up to him quickly as he drifted off.


	21. Chapter 21

Eeeechoooo." Kace's voice rang out. Echo moaned and rolled over, still pushing against Kace but no longer on top of him. "Echo, come on, bud. We've got to get ready for dinner later. If you sleep too much now, you won't be tired tonight."

Echo cracked an eye open to see the sun was setting behind the blinds. "Wha' time it?" He rubbed his eyes.

"About six." Kace said after checking his phone. "Come on, we need to take a shower and get the chlorine off of us."

Echo could feel his skin covered in the thin layer of pool water and head his hair crunch lightly, but he still didn't feel like getting up. "Don't wanna."

"Oh, yes you do. You said you wanted to help celebrate my birthday. Come on." Kace rolled Exho onto his back and patted his belly a few times. "Come on, I'll even get the shower going for you."

Echo finally sat up and looked around the room as Kace stood up and walked into the bathroom to turn on the shower. "Hey Kace." 

"What's up bud?" Kace's head popped around the corner.

"How old are you now?" He asked. He'd meant to ask earlier, but never got around to it.

"Uh, twenty five. No, twenty six." Kace said, eyes darting up as he thought.

Echo laughed. "How do you forget how old you are?"

"Hey, you get as old as me and things starts to fall out of your brain." Kace joked. "Now, come on. Let's wash off."

Echo yawned and stood up, walking to the bathroom to wash up. Kace had him lay down so he could unstrap the diaper and toss it before he jumped under the water. Kace helped him wash his hair as Echo did everything else.

"You clean yet?" Kace asked after a second, then laughed at himself for forgetting the kid couldn't hear when he was in the shower.

Echo stepped out and Kace wrapped him in a towel. When his head was dried, Echo out his aides back in and turned them on.

"Where are we going for dinner?" He asked as Kace came in with one of his super hero shirts.

"I don't know. Elliott said he was driving and it was a surprise." Kace rubbed the towel over Echo's damp hair once more before pulling he shirt over his head. "You want to wear protection?"

Echo thought for a second, then nodded his head no. He could do this.

"You sure?" Kace asked. "I want you to be able to enjoy dinner without any worries."

Echo thought back over it. He'd rather not have an accident in public. At the house was one thing, when it was only Kace and Elliott, but with a bunch of people around? He shivered at the thought and sat down on the floor for Kace to tape him up.

Kace gave a reassuring smile, saying, "It's just a precaution, okay. If you don't need them, that's great! If you do, well, it's a good thing to have them there."

Echo nodded and chewed on his thumb nail nervously.

When Kace finished, he helped Echo up and helped him into his shoes. Once Echo was fully dressed, Kace walked with him downstairs, leaving him in the living room as he walked to the pool house. It felt weird to be back in his own room as he rummaged around for a pair of socks. 

It was organized and decorated with small amounts of teem merchandise, very different from Echo's superhero them he was working on. It was much more... Boring. The lack of color and warmth made the room less enjoyable.

"It's only been a few days and I'm already used to the kid's roommate than my own." He sighed at his own ridiculousness and pulled a pair of matched socks out of his dresser and threw them on before slipping on his new shoes from Elliott and tying them. He took off his shirt and put on the one with the Superman shield that Echo got him and looked in the mirror. He didn't look half bad. And the shirt was a nice turn away from his normal button ups and collared shirts.

He walked back inside and saw Echo's face light up when he saw the shirt. "How do I look?"  
"Awesome." Echo smiled.

Kace smiled back before Elliott came into the room, throwing the keys into the air and asking, "You two ready?"

"Yeah. Let's go get some steak." Kace joked, patting Echo on the back before walking out the door.

They took the SUV, Elliott taking get wheel and Kace and Echo riding the rear. The drive seemed to take a very long time before the ended up on a two lane road. Kace watched out the window questionably as the pulled up to a run down place with a flickering sign.

"I don't think you could have gotten anymore remote, bro." Kace jokes as he hoped out of the car and slammed the door shut. Echo was having a similar feeling and stayed close to Kace as they walked to the door.

"How many times do I have to tell you guys not to judge a book by a cover." He held open the door and waved them in. "Have some faith." Elliott's smiled made Kace shake his head as he walked in side.

"Pick any table and we'll have someone right with you." A girl with blonde hair pulled back in a pony tail said as the came into the dinning room. She smiled as she saw Elliott. "So my hair brained brother wasn't kidding. He really got y'all to come down here."

"You must be Frasier's sister." Elliott smiled.

"Yes sir. Name's Gracie. Nice to meet you." He hips swayed lightly as she shifted her weight.

"Good to finally meet you." Elliott took her hand and gave it a polite shake. "It's my friend's birthday, and your brother told me no one has better steaks than his ma and pa's place. If it's flavored with more than salt and pepper--"

"It ain't a steak." Gracie finished, laughing. "He always loved that phrase. Now you three grab a seat and I'll be right over to take your order."

Elliott smiled back and nodded a yeas, then lead Kace and Echo over to a booth by a window.

"Frasier recommended this place?" Kace asked.

"Yeah, his folks own the joint. Says it's better than any of the fancy places he's gone to in town with the team." Elliott unwrapped his silver wear and placed his napkin in his lap.

"Well, it smells good." Kace joked, doing the same for himself before leaning over and doing it for Echo who was currently scanning the room. "Echo," Kace snapped his fingers once and Echo's eyes refocused on the table."

"What's up?" He asked, shifting in his seat.

"Hey, any idea what you want to eat?" Kace smiled lightly.

Echo flipped through the menu. "I guess just some chicken fingers." He shrugged, not really that hungry.

"If that's what you want." Elliott laughed. "Only guy I know who will go to a home steak house and get chicken."

Echo smiled. "Yeah, but I'm not a big steak guy."

Kace patted him on the back jokingly as Gracie came up. "Y'all got an idea of what you want?"

"Yes." Elliott smiled. "We will both have the house steak with a loaded potato and broccoli and he'll have the chicken fingers. All with Coke."

Gracie wrote out the order before smiling up at them and saying, "Alright, we'll have those right out for you." She took up their menus and made her way back to the kitchen.

"Man, that's a fine lady." Elliott said softly.

Kace laughed. "If Frasier finds out you're hitting on his sister, he will hurt you."

"Hey, it's not like I'm asking for her number or anything." Elliott blushed. "I was just saying."

"Elliott like Gracie, Elliott likes Gracie." Echo hummed lowly.

"Oh, shut up, would ya." Elliott rolled his eyes as Kace laughed. "Not like Kace ever had trouble with girls."

"What do you mean?" Echo asked. He didn't really see Kace as a player or even something close to one.

"He plays for the other team, bud." Elliott smiled as they got their drinks and he took a swig.  
"What?" Echo asked, not understanding Elliott's discreet reasoning.

"He doesn't go for girls." Elliott said lightly under his breath. Kace rolled his eyes.

"Oh. Oooooooh. Okay." Echo finally caught on, then looked over at Kace. He didn't seem the type, but, as Elliott had just said, don't judge a book by its cover.


	22. Chapter 22

Their food arrived quickly, Gracie carrying out on a large tray with only one hand. Echo was surprised she could carry all of it without any trouble as she sat the corner of the Tay onto the table and started unloading it. "Steak," she said, putting two large slabs of meat on plates in front of both Elliott and Kace. "And chicken." She gave Echo a small smile before turning back to Elliott.

"Will that be all for you gentlemen?" She asked, holding onto the large tray by putting it under her arm.

"Looks good." Elliott smiled back. "Thanks."

"No problem. You three enjoy." She gave one last smile to their group before walking off to the kitchen.

They dug in and started eating, conversation slowing as they ate. As their food disappeared, Elliott started talking.

"Told you this was one hell of a steak." He smiled over at Kace, wiping his mouth with his napkin.

"And how right you were." Kace said. "Frasier was right, by far the best steak I've ever had. How's the chicken?"

Echo smiled up through a mouthful of food and held up a thumb, causing Kace to laugh.

"I'll take that as a 'it's good'." Kace smiled over at him. "How is Frasier, anyway? Haven't seen him in a while."

"Oh, yeah, he's been training on the far field away from your office." Elliott said.

They finished the rest of their meal with talk about sports, Echo only half following due to the fact that he only knew some of the teams. He'd watched ever Sunday he could, trying to follow his brother over winter. But he didn't really get a lot of free time between work and sleep.

When they were finished, Gracie came over with the check. "No hurry, guys." She smiled as she walked off to help more customers.

Elliott nodded his thanks and grabbed the little book that held the check and slid his card in for when she came back. When the kitchen door opened once more, Elliott held up the book for Gracie, but she wasn't the only one to come through.

A man and a woman walked out with her, round in shape and older. The man was sporting a small beard with a stained white apron and shirt and the the woman had on a printed dress. The carried out a small round cake with a candle on top and Gracie carried a ballon and ball cap.

The restaurant broke out in the happy birthday song as they walked over to Kace and place the cake down in front of him. The song died off as Kace blew out the candle and the restaurant cheered. Echo smiled as Kace blushed and Elliott laughed. Gracie put the hat on Kace's head loosely, then tied the balloon to his wrist.

"You really didn't have to do that." Kace blushed.

"If it's a birthday, it's our job to make is special when you choose to celebrate here." Gracie smiled.

"This is awesome, Gracie." Elliott laughed. "Frasier never told me about this!"

"About our birthday celebration? That bone head." She shook her head with a smile. "Well, I'm kind of glad he didn't. That's always way more fun when people don't see it coming."  
"Well, you must have had a lot of fun then." Echo smiled over at Kace.

"Yeah, ma and pa love coming out of the kitchen every now and then." Gracie said, looking over at the kitchen doors where the two older people were walking back to the preparation room.

"Those were your folks?" Elliott asked, trying to find the connection.

Gracie nodded her head. "Yep, that's them. Don't pay 'em much mind, though. They're very sweet once you get to know 'em."

"I'm sure." Elliott smiled. "Well, we got to get heading home. It was good meeting you."

"You as well." Gracie gave a soft, genuine smile. "Better get him home before he passes out in the booth." She said, pointing lightly to Echo who was trying very hard to stay awake.

Kace looked over at him and smiled, giving him a one armed hug. "Will do, thanks."

"No problem; enjoy your night." Gracie smiled, then pulled out her note pad and wrote something down, handing it to Kace. "In case you ever want to talk."

Elliott blushed lightly, taking the note.

They made their way out to the car, Echo's eyes having a hard time staying open. Kace took his hand and squeezed it lightly, amazed at how soft and small it was. He tugged him gently to the car. When they were in and strapped down, Elliott started the car and headed for home. 

Echo didn't make it five minutes into the ride before he was asleep against the door. Kace chuckled lightly as he noticed Echo's limp body landing awkwardly against the door.

"Echo's out." Kace informed Elliott.

Elliott's eyes went up to the reviews mirror to see his twin asleep before he laughed. "Stuff like this always did make him tired."

"Really?" Kace asked.

"Oh, almost every time. Even if it he was jumping off the walls three second earlier, he'd pass out on the ride home. Didn't matter if it was the bus or a car." Elliott smiled lightly as he remembered.

"That's kind of funny." Kace chuckled. The road the rest of the way in silence, the garage opening the only sound to push it back as they drove in.

"Hey, Echo," Elliott started after pulling the keys.

"No, no, no, don't wake him." Kace said, unbuckling they boy and himself before getting out and walking to the other side of the car. He eased Echo into his arms gently and carrying him up stairs.

Elliott raised an eyebrow as he watched the ordeal. "You could have just told him to wake up." He chuckled.

"Nah, he'd just complain and roll over and it wouldn't do much." Kace said, adjusting his grip on the boy's legs.

"True enough." Elliott said, closing the door behind him.

Kace took Echo to his room and sat him down on the bed gently, popping his shoes off his feet before checking Echo's diaper.

"Buddy, you got to tell me when your wet." Kace sighed. "Must have been when you were zoning out at dinner." He pulled off Echo's pants, then unstrapped the diaper and pulled it out from under him, checking o the rash before applying cream and powder and strapping a new one on. He slid on a pair of sweatpants before tucking Echo in, making sure to grab the tattered blanket he called Sunggie and put it next to his face.

Echo let out a light sigh as Kace turned off the light and walked back downstairs.

Elliott sat on the clutch watching TV, turning his head as Kace made his way into the living room. "Hey."

"What're you watching?" Kace asked, plopping down on the couch on the other side.

"Commercials mostly." Elliott laughed. "You have a good birthday?"

"Yeah." Kace smiled lightly. "Thanks again."

"If anyone should be thankful, it's me. You're keeping an eye out for Echo and all." Elliott said.  
"It's not that big a deal." Kace smiled. In fact, he'd rather liked it. 

"Nah, man. Come on, let me thank you." Elliott said, giving him a small smile. "Has Echo told you how we got out names?"

Kace's brow bunched in the middle as he shook his head no.

"Well, when we were born, right away they knew Echo was deaf." Elliott said, starting into the story. "They hadn't been expecting kids at all, our parents, much less twins. So names weren't even thought about until after we came out. Our mom was so doped up with pain killers, she was completely out of it, so our father choose them.

"I was named after my grandfather, the late Elliott Senior. Dad had said the name was worthy of his father and I should be honored to have it. He'd say that every time my name was in or on anything. Our father was a very hard man to get along with, but I knew that was the way he'd say that I existed somewhere in the bottom of his bottle, when the booze ran low and he'd realize he had kids.

"But Echo... When my father was told the news of his deafness, he'd been more irritated than anything. 'Kid's got one job to do and that's be healthy enough not to bother us, and he ain't even done that right.' That's what he'd say. He was named Echo because out father knew he'd have to keep saying things over and over like an echo to himself before he would understand anything. And the extra work was a nuance to him, so Echo didn't really get to know our dad.

"On those rare occasions when dad realized he had a family somewhere, he'd come home and completely ignore Echo. He didn't understand 'hand talk' as he called it, and he had no interest. When mom died, and I was the only link Echo had to the real world because mom hadn't let him do anything, I tried to teach him how to say words. Hi, bye, and then, of course, his name. That was all he knew, but he was so freaking sure that next time dad came home that he'd at least acknowledge Echo was there. 

"But dad never came back and Echo never had a chance."

Kace's face was in a tight scowl at the story. "What about after your dad left?" He asked. "What did you two do?"

Elliott sighed. "We lived on our own for as long as we could before the food ran out and the lights and water to our apartment were shut off. The state picked us up and we were thrown into a facility. It's hard to place siblings because they're required to stay together. But with Echo's deafness, he had to stay in certain places that catered to that. So it was mostly group homes for us. It wasn't all bad, and we both made it through. I taught Echo a bunch of sight language and the state paid for him to get hearing aides. Better ones, anyway.

"He'd had them as long as I can remember, but they never worked and he always ended up chucking them across the house. But, we both got into college and finished and now, here we are." Elliott gave a fake smile. 

They way he'd said it made it seem so easy, like the way you flick a switch. But Kace knew better. And he knew not to ask, not right now. 

Elliott checked his watch before shaking his wrist and saying, "it's getting late. I'm heading to bed." He tossed the remote at Kace. "Don't stay up too late."

"Ha, not a chance." Kace said, waiting until Elliott was up the stairs before changing the channel. He really was tired, but he didn't realize how so until he laid back on the couch and let his eyes close. He was put in seconds.


	23. Chapter 23

Echo woke up, his body shaking all over form his latest nightmare. He looked around the room to find that it was dark, and not just from the thick curtains being pulled over the windows, even though he didn't remember closing them from the last time Kace opened them. Kace? Hey, where is he? Echo thought, reaching out his hand to see if he was there. When his hand fell on nothing more than blankets, he reached over to his other side, only to find Sunggie. He pulled the blanket to his chest and threw the rest to the other side, sliding his feet out and putting them on the floor. I guess he's in his own room, Echo thought, rubbing his eyes. He tried to calm himself before he tried to go and find Kace. 

He stood up and walked slowly to the door, cracking it open and looking out into the hall. When he didn't see anyone, he started for the stairs and held onto the railing as his feet fumbled down them. In his sleepy state, he missed the last step and fell, the only thing that kept him from hitting the floor was his tight grip on the rail, but he swung around to an uncomfortable position. He let out a small yelp as his back hit the wood and he lost his grip, falling onto the floor. "Oow." He moaned rubbing his back.

Kace heard the soft cry and a thud and was up in a second. He looked over to the stairs to find Echo on the floor in a small heap. "Echo?" He asked.

Echo looked up and smiled, forgetting about the pain as he stood up. "Hey."

"What are you doing?" Kace asked, rubbing his eyes and sitting up more as his heart slowed form the initial panic.

"I was, uh, just going to, uh, get... Get some water." Echo said, pointing to the kitchen.

Kace sighed, seeing through the lie but deciding to roll with it. "Well, let's get some water then." He said, throwing his legs over the edge of the couch and standing up, heading for the kitchen. Echo took his normal place at the island as Kace grabbed a cup and filled it with water.

"Why were you asleep on the couch?" Echo asked, taking a sip.

"Don't know. Must have just fallen asleep." Kace gave Echo a small smile. They sat in silence for a few minutes, Kace giving the boy some more time before asking, "So, what's the real reason you're down here, huh?"

Echo looked up at Kace, annoyed that he saw through the lie but happy at the same time. He didn't like lying. He looked down at his hands as they twisted around each other. "I had a nightmare." He sighed. "And I was looking for you."

Kace's heart almost exploded in joy. Echo had thought of him--HIM-- when he was in trouble. Not Elliott, not someone--anyone else--but him! He had to hold himself down to keep from smiling too big and remind himself that Echo was having a hard time. It might not have been the best idea to go jumping off the walls when he'd just been forced awake by bad dreams. "What for?" He asked, taking a sip of water to keep his cool.

Echo sighed, opened his mouth like he was going to say something, then closed it. "Never mind, it's stupid." He finally said, turning himself so he could walk back to his room.

"Hey, come one, what's stupid." Kace said, stepping into his path so he couldn't get away.

Echo sighed. "Nothing, it's just..."

Kace pushed on. "Just what?"

"It's just, when you where there..." Echo took in a deep breath. "WhenyouwerethereIdidn'thavenightmares." He said quickly.

Kace looked at him for a second. "What?"

Echo took in another deep breath and let it out. "When you were there I didn't have nightmares."

Kace gave a slight side smile. "Do you wanna go lay down on my bed?" He asked.

"Can I?" He asked, his face upturned.

"Yeah, if you promise not to kick too much." Kace said with a smile on his face as he put an arm over Echo's shoulder and leading him to his room. 

Echo had never seen the inside of Kace's pool house past the kitchen and was surprised at the simplicity. There wasn't much decoration wise and I looked like what Echo's had before Elliott told him to do what he wants with the room. Echo waited for Kace to change into his PJ's and looked around the room.

"What're you looking at?" Kace asked when he walked in and saw Echo zoned out.

"Huh? Oh, uh, just your room." He said. "Not much personal stuff."

"Oh, yeah, well, not much to decorate with." Kace said, walking toward the bed and yawning.

Echo followed. "But, not even a picture of your family of something?" 

"I've got tons of family, but they don't really talk to me much." Kace laid back on the bed and pulled the covers back for Echo.

"Why?" Echo climbed into bed and leaned into Kace as the threw the blankets back over them.

"They don't really support my life." Kace said lightly, eyes closed and ready for sleep.

"You mean 'cause you don't like girls?" Echo asked. He pulled Snuggie to his chest and squeezed the blanket tightly.

Kace took in a deep breath and let it out. "Yeah. They're good people, but they're very religious. The didn't disown me or anything, but it was very clear they didn't want me around."

"Oh..." Echo said. "I didn't know people still did that."

"They're good people, but they felt like the failed me and I felt like I failed them." Kace said, his eyes closed tight to keep any tears at bay. He honestly didn't know why he was telling Echo all of this. "But you get sick of hiding and running and I didn't want that anymore."

Echo nodded his head and buried his face into Snuggie and push against Kace. "I'm sorry." He said, his voice cracking lightly.

"Hey, no need to be sorry for me." Kace smiled and wrapped an arm around Echo. "It was my choice to leave. And besides, I'm here now, aren't I? Everything has a purpose."

Echo nodded his head and leaned into the embrace, falling asleep quickly and Kace following quickly behind.


	24. Chapter 24

Kace woke up the next morning with Echo curled up next to him. He yawned and looked over at the clock that read 9:13. He sighed a tried to sit up, but his arm was asleep from Echo being on top of it most the night and it sent painful tingles up his arm. He tried to let it subside before getting up to brush his teeth, letting Echo sleep.

He walked into the bathroom and laughed as he noticed imprints on his skin from both Echo and the blankets. "We must have died last night." He laughed. He brushed his teeth and came out of the bathroom just as Echo was staring to stir. "Morning bud." He said, rubbing his back.

Echo sat up and looked over at Kace. "Don't want to get up yet." He complained, leaning toward Kace and laying on his chest.

Kace rubbed his back. "I know bud, but it's time to start the day." 

Echo moaned and sat up again, his diaper noticeably crinkly as he moved. "Wet." He said, looking down.

"It's okay, come on, we'll get you changed and then we can find something fun to do." Echo nodded and let Kace pull him off the bed and lay him down on the floor. "We're going to have to find a better system for this." He said, pulling the straps off. "Can't keep you on the floor forever."

Echo nodded and yawned, still tired. Kace finished up, trying not to laugh as Echo sat up with his legs spread out straight in front of him and yawned once more, looking more like a two year old than his true age. "What're we gonna do today?" He asked.

"I don't know. I have to let Jake out, then I'll be right back. Maybe we can all go to the park or something?" Kace said, standing up and heading for the door. He let Jake out, wanting as the golden ran around the yard until Kace closed the door and walked back to his room where Echo was putting on his pants. He wobbled around trying to get his leg in the hole, jumping as he did so. 

Kace let out a small laugh and walked over, helping him lift the pants up to his waist. Echo watched as Kaxe worked his fingers around the button and fastened them.

"How come you do all of this for me?" Echo asked, looking Kace in the eyes.

Kace cocked his head and looked up at Echo. "Do you not want me to?" He asked.

"Well, I don't know. I was just wondering why you don't care about all of the... Stuff." Echo's eyes darted to the floor, the carpet pattern suddenly becoming very interesting.

"What stuff? You mean the needing diapers and your blanket and all of that?" Kace asked, not taking his eyes off of Echo for a second. "Because someone who's truly your friend wouldn't. And I like to think I am your friend."

Echo looked back up and starred at Kace's face. "Just because your a friend?" He asked. "I had friends before and none of them would have done this."

"Well, then maybe they just weren't your good friends. And maybe they had their own reasons." Kace stood up from his crouching position, his legs falling asleep.

"So we're friends?" Echo asked. He was disappointed, and it was hard to hide.

Did I answer the question wrong? Kace asked himself as he watched Echo's hurt face. "Yeah, we're friends." He smiled at Echo, but it didn't seem to do any good as the boy turned away.  
"Okay, cool." He said, walking for the door. 

Kace didn't get it. He'd thought Echo would be thrilled, excited that Kace didn't care about any of the things that made him feel weird. Why would the word friend hurt anyone?

Echo walked outside and called Jake over, petting the dog before he darted off to chase a squirl. He sighed as Jake ran off and plopped down onto the grass. He didn't have shoes on, but in this wether, it didn't matter. The ground was warm and soft beneath his toes. He watched as bird flew by above, that same feeling of jealousy that he'd had since he was little. He wish he could be that free.

He was left alone with Jake in the yard for about an hour before Elliott came out and sat next to him.

"What's up?" He asked, leaning back on his hands.

"Nothing." Echo said, face still turned to the blue sky.

"Echo," Elliott's voice was level and stern. "You always zone out like this when something's got your mind."

"I said its nothing, so please just leave it alone." Echo begged, tears at the edge of his voice.

Elliott sighed, but followed his twin's wishes. "Hey, wanna go do morning fun?" He asked.

Echo eyed him.

"Okay, so, remember that girl from last night?" He asked, suddenly excited.

Echo sighed. "You mean the one Kace said's brother was going to kill you if he found out you two were flirting?" 

"Well, yeah. But I talked to Frasier. Man to man, you know. I told him that if he didn't want me going after his sister, I'd back off. But he said that if I had the balls and respect to ask him about it, that I at least deserved a chance." Elliott said, speaking quickly. "Under the understanding that if I ever hurt his sister I'd lose whatever she didn't chop off first."

Echo covered his private area. "Oow." He said, wincing.

"Yeah, well, anyway, I called her and she said there was something out there she wanted to show me and to bring you guys along if I liked. We can have ice cream." He tempted Echo.

Echo was no fool, he could see his brother wasn't just going to give him I scream for no reason. "What's the catch?" He asked.

"No catch, I promise. So will you come?" Elliott seemed to be begging. "She really wants to get to know you guys because we all live together, you know."

There it is, the catch. Echo would be asked a bunch of question about a bunch of things that didn't mater and he'd have to answer with run-of-the-mill answers that weren't true. But for his brother, he could deal with it. "Fine, but I want ice cream before she starts pounding us." Echo said, caving in.

Elliott would have jumped out of his boots if he was wearing any. "Thank you! I'm going to go get Kace and then we can head out!" 

Echo nodded and watched as he ran inside the pool house.


	25. Chapter 25

When they were all packed into the SUV with shoes finally on, and started heading back to the steak house. Echo forced his body as far from Kace as possible who sat in the back seat as well. He starred out the window and watched as trees turned into dirt on their way out of town.

"So, why are we really coming out here again?" Kace asked.

"I told you all. I think I've got a shot with this girl. Please just play it cool." Elliott said from the front seat.

Kace sighed and sat back, looking over at Echo. Just when he'd thought he had the kid figured out, this happens. He was finally trusting you and leaning on you and you screwed it up! He yelled at himself. Kid's been screwed over his whole life and you were able to put a smile on his face fight up until now. What's gonna happen? Is he going to pull away forever? God, I don't think I could deal with that again.

Kace pushed his head against the window and cursed his existence until Elliott pulled into the small town and up to the steak place. Echo mulled is way along as he opened the door and stepped out into the late morning heat.

They walked into the he dinning room, the smell of food cooking hitting their noses as the looked around for the blond pony tail of Gracie.

"Hey guys." She smiled.

Elliott beamed and walked up to her. "Hey, what's up?" 

"Nothing much." She smiled over at Kace and Elliott. "Can you guys help me with something?"  
"Yeah, anything." Elliott said.

"So, pa wants to install a new TV above the bar for when the games come on, but he's too old to be lifting that much weight above his head." Gracie explained, the country draw in her voice very noticeable. "Would you help set it up?"

"We can do that." Elliott agreed. "If you have all the tools and whatnot."

"Oh yeah, 'course. It's all in the back." He smiled and waved them through. "You'll see them right there through the kitchen."

"Thanks. Come on, Kace." Elliott put a hand on his friends shoulder and lightly shoved him.  
Kace laughed. "Dude, you've only been dating one day and she's already got you under her thumb."

"Hey now, there's a beautiful woman attached to that thumb. And she got a wonderful laugh." Elliott gushed.

"Alright, loverboy, let's get this TV set up." Kace chuckled, walking through the kitchen to the back where Gracie had pointed them. He lifted up the bag of tools and tossed them to Elliott to see if he was paying attention. "Think fast."

Elliott caught the bag with his arms held to his chest, tools held tightly in between. "Hey, not cool."

"You caught it." Kace shrugged. He headed back to the dinning room just as Gracie was pulling out a large box, Echo pushing on the other side. "That is a big TV."

Gracie heaved once more before stopping and wiping and arm across her brow. "Yeah, but it's what Pa wanted. You boys ready?"

"Yeah. Echo, you going to help?" Elliott asked and he ripped open the box.

Echo nodded and walked over. He'd put a few weeks in with an installation company and was trained enough to help.

Gracie ran around cleaning up as Elliott heaved the TV up to its new place behind the bar, careful to not nock anything around. Kace cleared away bottles and Elliott screwed in the first blot to keep it on the wall. Echo watched and hooked wires together bellow.

"Everything okay down there?" Kace asked, watching Echo's hands work around the wires and plug them in.

Echo smiled up and gave Kace a thumbs up, then went back to work. "Yeah, just a few more connections and it'll be ready for a test run. How about up there?"

"Three more bolts and it'll be finished." Kace took the next bolt that Elliott handed him and hand tightened it as Elliott did the other two. "Did you make sure the wall anchors set?"  
"Yeah." Elliot nodded. "All six of the damn things." He rolled his eyes and took the wrench to tighten the bolts, then handed it to Elliott do do the one across from it in a star pattern.

"Cool. It should be able to swing based on where you want to view it." He was facing the wall, but he meant it for Gracie.

"You all are so kind. Thanks for all the help." Gracie smiled. "I'm going to take the trash out and then I'll be right back."

Elliott nodded and watched until the girl disappeared from view until saying, "Thanks so much, guys. I know this wasn't how you imagined your day, but this really will help me. With her folks and all."

Echo smiled up as his brother. "Least we could do."

"Hey, we're still on for ice cream, right?" Kace asked, punching Elliott in the arm gently.

"Yeah, 'corse. Let's finish this up and I'll ask Gracie." Elliott grabbed the wrench back form Kace and tightened the last bolt, shaking the TV lightly to make sure it could put up with a little roughness without falling. "Looks good."

Echo stood up and grabbed the remote, turning the TV on and flipping through a few stations. "Dang, look at the quality." He said, flipping it onto a sports station. "It's like you're really there."

Kace laughed at the boy's amazement and rustled his hair before taking the remote and flipping a few more stations. "It works. This will bring in a lot of people on game day."

The heard a light scream from the other room, muffled by the closed door. Elliott looked over at Kace before they ran to the kitchen and through the back door. The panic sent adrenaline pouring into their blood as they burst through the back door and scanned frantically around.

Gracie stood over a box, a face that neither of the could place across her face. Elliott's brow tightened as he said, "Whats wrong?"

"Oh my god." She said, reaching into the box before Elliott of Kace could stop her. Her hands pulled out, showing a patched ball of fur. "Who would just throw this away!" The ball meowed, movie around to face Elliott and Kace.

"It's a cat." Kace said, breathing heavily. "Just a cat."

"Oooh, he's so cute." Gracie pulled the cat close and hugged him lightly. "Let's take him inside and wash him up." She smiled up at Elliott who smiled back.

"Good idea." He pushed Kace towards the door and they walked back into the kitchen where the two older people from last night stood, watching as the came in.

"I heard cat." The woman said. "I know what you're next question is going to be and there's no way we can keep it."

"But ma!" Gracie protested.

"Gracie, you know I'm allergic. You can wash it up, but he's gonna need a home that's not with us." The lady said softly. "I also what to thank you gentlemen for helping with the new TV. Help yourself to anything you like as a thank you."

Gracie sighed and Elliott said, "Thank you ma'am."

The lady nodded and they were on their way to the front of house where the bar sink was. It was empty and not full of food from dishes, so Gracie thought it a better choice.

Echo watched as they came out from behind the bar where he had ducked after the scream. 

"Echo, you can come out." Kace laughed as he saw they boy peeking out."

He stood up and brushed off his pants. "I wasn't hiding."

"I'm sure." Kace joked. "You wanna help with the fur ball?" He wasn't sure how Echo would react to the animal after Jake, but he figured he'd offer.

"What fur ball?" Echo asked, looking around Kace's large figure to Gracie as she placed the kitten in the sink. "Oh my god, it a kitten!" He jumped around Kace and ran to Gracie. He beamed as he pet the cat lightly.

"You wanna help me wash him?" Gracie asked, smiling at Echo's delight.

"Yeah, of course!" Echo laughed and turned on the water as Gracie found some soap. "He's so cute!"

"He'll look even better when he's clean." Gracie laughed, lightly pouring water around the cat. It meowed as she got close to his face and Echo laughed.

Kace leaned in to Elliott to say, "so he's afraid of dogs, but cats are al good and well?" 

Elliott laughed. "Yeah, well, after the dog thing, he really fell in love with cats. He wanted one all the way through middle school, but the homes we were in didn't allow pets."

Kace's brow furrowed. "Oh." The watched as Gracie and Echo giggled over the cat until Kace said, "Why don't we take it?"

"The cat?" Elliott asked, one brow above the other. "Dude, I don't know."

"Oh, come on. It would make him so happy. And you could get a few points with your girl for taking him with you." Kace pushed. 

"You're doing this for Echo?" Elliott asked. "Dude, you know he's--"

"I don't care what he is, it doesn't mean I cant want him to be happy." Kace cut him off.

Elliott sighed and shook his head. "Alright, but he's staying in Echo's room. And all the stuff will go in there. I don't want cat litter every where."

Kace smiled and punched Elliott's arm. "You were going to take it in anyway, so shut up."  
Elliott blushed. "Well, I wasn't going to leave him on the street."

Kace rolled his eyes jokingly and looked back over as Echo pulled him out of the sink and Gracie dried him off. Echo smiled over and ran up to Kace.

"He's so cute!" Echo exclaimed and the call meowed up at him.

Kace reached a hand out and scratched the cat's head. "Yeah, he is."

"Let's get some ice cream and sit down at a table." Gracie suggested, walking over to the bar to grabs a scoop.

"Sounds good. I'll grab a booth and we can all eat together." Elliott said, pointing to a table.  
"Alright, I'll be right out." She smiled at Elliott and walked back to the kitchen.

They sat down at a booth and waited for Gracie to come out. Echo played with the kitten, holding it tight and rubbing a hand down its back as it purred. When Gracie did come out, she had a tray with four bowls and a few clear containers.

She sat a bowl down at each seat and placed the clear containers in the middle that had sprinkles, gummy bears, and cookies. "Eat up." She smiled, sitting down.

Echo smiled and threw a spoon full of sprinkles onto his ice cream and dug in, careful not to get any on the cat. Kace there on gummy bears and Elliott stuck to keeping it straight, having a conversation with Gracie who sat next to him.

"You know, I was thinking we could take the cat." Elliott said

"You'd really take him?" Gracie asked, eyes large.

"Yeah, he needs a home and I don't think I'd be able to take it out of Echo's hands without him freaking out."

"Ah! You're so awesome!" Gracie smiled, pecking Elliott on the cheek. "Thank you."

"We can keep him?" Echo asked, over hearing the conversation. 

"Yeah, we have the room. Might as well." Elliott said, watching his twin's face rise in joy.

Echo cheered, "We can keep him!" Throwing a fist into the air then giving the cat a hug! "You're coming home with us!"

"You're going to have to name it." Kace pointed out.

Echo slowed down for a second in thought. "Hey Kace, what's your middle name?"

"Me? Why?" He asked.

"Just wondering." Echo said insolently.

"Leonardo, after the painter." Kace sighed, embaresed.

"Or the ninja turtle." Echo joked. "I wanna name him Leo!"

"Hey now!" Kace protested.

"Your cat." Elliott shrugged.

"Don't encourage him!" Kace moaned. "I hated that name."

"Ah, come one. It's cut that he wasn't to name him after you." Gracie smiled.

Kace blushed and went back to his ice cream. "Whatever."

"Leo it is." Elliott smiled.


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tons of hurt but, sometimes, things have to get worse to get better.

They started towards home after the ice cream was finished and the conversation dyed off. Gracie waved good bye as the hoped back into the SUV.

"We should probably stop by PetSmart or something for Leo." Kace said, smiling at Echo as he held the cat.

"Yeah, we don't really have any cat stuff." Elliott said, turning into a small shopping center. He parked next to then entrance and jumped out, Kace and Echo following behind.

Echo held the kitten in his arms as the walked through the store, happy for the company.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" An employee asked, dressed in the usual blue vest with the logo on the left breast pocket.

"Yeah, actually. We need cat litter, a litter box, food..." Elliott said, trying to think of what they'd need.

"New cat?" The man asked, smiling at Echo as he held Leo.

"Yeah, he's name's Leo. He was left behind Elliott's girlfriend's restaurant and he said we could keep him." Echo smiled.

The man laughed. "Ah, what a cute little kitten. Is it a boy, then?" Echo nodded his head yes. "Well then, follow me. I'll make sure you get everything you'll need." He smiled over at Lace and Elliott, then started walking through isles.

The man explained how to get him to use the litter box and showed Echo how to clean it, telling him he needed to scoop once a day and change all the litter every three days. Echo followed along, clinging to his every word. Kace had to hold back a laugh at how into it he seemed.

When the worker lead them to the front, they had everything a cat owner could possibly need, including toys. Elliott swiped his card and Kace helped Echo put the kitten into his new carrying crate. When everyone was loaded up, he walked back to the car, thanking the worker for like his help.

Echo was jumpy about getting home, excited to get Leo home and play with him. When they did pull into the driveway, Echo jumped out and took Leo inside along with the bag of his new toys.

Kace me Elliott followed behind, taking everything up to his room. Elliott dropped everything at the door and said, "Alright, so, some ground rules first. One, he has to use the litter box. I don't want him peeing on everything. Two, he's in your room every night when you go to sleep to cut down on chances of him peeing on stuff. And last, you have to take care of him. We're not going to do it."

Echo nodded and smiled. "Deal."

Elliott let out a sigh no said, "Okay, good. You all have fun, I'm going to watch TV and possibly take a nap."

Echo waved good bye and went to work setting up the litter box in his bathroom. Kace helped pour the litter into the box and placed the lid on top.  
"Looks good." Kace smiled. "Guess Leo and Jake should meet here soon, huh?"

Echo nodded. "Yeah, I hope they get along."

"I'm sure they will, bud." Kace rustled the boy's hair. 

When everything was finished, Echo sat on the edge of the bed and let Leo out to walk around. He watched as he asked, "Hey Kace, do you have a big family?"

Kace was taken aback by the question for a second. "Well, no more than normal. I told you I don't see them much, though."

"'Cause they don't like that you're gay." Echo said, looking Kace up and down.

"Well, not just that. I told you that they were never mean. They didn't kick me out of anything. It just became apparent that I might want to find somewhere else to go." Kace sighed. "Why all this, huh?"

"Was just wondering." Echo reached for Leo and put the cat in his lap, petting it lightly. "How'd they react when you told them?"

"Well, they didn't really know how to act. It just kind of happened and in the days after it was clear. I still love them and send cards on Christmas a such. We just don't see each other."

"Doesn't sound much like a good family." Echo said. Leo jumped out of his lap and towards one of the toys. Echo grabbed it and help it up for him to play with the end.

"Doesn't mean I don't love them." Kace put a hand of Echo's shoulder. "Will you tell me why you're asking all this?"

Echo sighed. "I was just wondering. We don't have a big family. Seems like a lot to waste just to come out like that."

"Yeah, but I was trapped there." Kace said, finally understanding. Echo didn't have a family like Kace did. Each member of it was prudent to him. "I couldn't be myself or love who I wanted. Sometimes, your personal freedom is worth the risk."

Echo looked Kace in the eye, his face strained to see the way the older man did. "I don't think anything is worth your family."

"I never lost them bud. They're still right there. If I reached out and talked, I know someone would understand. But right now, I'm okay." Kace patted Echo's head. "Don't worry about me."

Echo nodded and shifted his weight, letting Leo claim the toy and dash under his bed with it. 

Kace could see something was still bothering the boy, but didn't want to push any harder.

Echo followed Leo under the bed and grabbed the toy, pulling it back out. Kace watched as they jumped around the room before standing up to leave.

"I'm going to go watch TV for a bit downstairs. you can come if you want." Kace offered, walking towards the door.

Echo looked up from Leo to watch as Kace opened the door. "Maybe later?"

"Okay, have fun." Kace gave a soft smiled and walked down stairs. He wanted to stay with Echo, find out what was wrong, but it didn't look like the boy was willing to talk or even volunteer any information. Instead, he plopped down on the couch and flipped through stations trying to find something interesting.

Echo sighed when the door closed behind Kace and grabbed Leo."Why couldn't I have been born a cat." He moaned into it's fur.

Leo let out a small meow and curled up to Echo as small tears fell down his chin. 

"Hey, do you think it's possible to fall in love with someone in only a few days?" He asked, his voice breaking on the last word.

Leo looked up at Echo, sensing his sadness. The cat's hazel blue eyes stared straight past Echo's green eyes and into his soul. 

As a cat, Leo was born with this ability to see past people's outer shell and straight to the place that matters. And right now, Echo was confused. His mind twisted and turned and didn't make and sense, the gears that normally ran without a kink in most people twisted back and forth, stopping and starting in Echo's mind.

Echo closed his eyes to wipe away a tear and Leo lost his connection. He curled up in they boy's lap and purred as Echo rubbed his hand down his back.

Later that night at dinner, his discomfort was even clearer. He shifted in his seat and didn't talk much.

"Hey Echo," Elliott said, pulling his brother back from whatever land he was staring into to the table. "Where were you these past few months anyway? You never told us."

"Oh, uh, north." Echo said, picking up his fork to take a bite, hoping Elliott would drop it.  
He didn't.

"Where?"

"Kevesville." Echo sighed, putting his fork back down. "Was staying with some friends."

"Elliott, I'm not sure if this is the time for this." Kace whispered at the larger twin. Echo really hadn't been in the best of moods lately.

Elliott sighed. "He's got to talk some time." He whispered back. "So who were you staying with? Anyone I'd know.?"

"Just some... People." Echo said, physically hurt by the thought. Kace saw it and nudged Elliott to drop the subject.

Elliott didn't listen. "What happened between you guys for you to end up back here?" He pushed on.  
Echo looked at Elliott with a scowl. "Just some guys, will you drop it, please." He said.

Now it was Elliott's turn to drop his fork. "No, just tell me. It's not like you were doing anything illegal, right?"

Echo stood up and walked off. "Leave me alone." He cried, tears falling to the floor.

Elliott stood up and followed him. "Why are you acting so weird about it? Why won't you talk to anyone?" He asked, yelling.

"Elliott, this isn't helping." Kace pleaded with him as Echo stood balling in the middle of the room.  
Echo took in a shaky breath. "Just leave me alone!

"No." Elliott yelled back. "Everytime something goes wrong in your life, you never tell anyone what it is. Then you get so worked up from the stress you start wetting the bed again. and you just keep letting it get worse and sorse until you end up making yourself sick!"

Echo stood tighfaced in the middle of the room, cursing his inability to stop tears. "What does it even matter to you! You finally land your big NFL job and you leave me behind!" He yelled. "You don't even show up to mom's grave on the day she died!"

That was news to Kace. Every time one of them would talk about their mom leaving, it always seemed to be in more of a "She walked out the door and left us behind" kind of way.

"Mom left us, Echo! Alone! The woman walked out on her two kids and then she dies a few years later. We owe her noting!" Elliott yelled back.

Now Kace was starting to get the picture. "You both need to stop, now." Kace interviened. "Before you say something you can't take back."

Echo was having none of Kace's reason. "She gave us life! SHe was the one who took care of us. And you didn't give two craps when she left!" He yelled.

"I didn't give two craps? Me? Echo, all I did was miss her. I missed her so god-damned-much I didn't know what to do." Elliott yelled, face tight as his voice bellowed across the room. "I threw my self into football because when mom left, so did you and so did dad."

"I didn't leave!" Echo shouted.

"You may as well have. When mom left, you clocked out on life! You stopped going to school you stopped everything. You wanna play the blame game, we can play." Elliott's jaw was set tight. "You were the reason I didn't have mush of a life through school. I was too fucking worries that you'd off yourself that I was afraid to leave you alone!"

"You always left me alone. That's all you did.! You were so busy with football and girls to have any interest in me!" Echo said.

Kace was starting to think this fight was getting out of hand and stepped in the middle. "You both need to calm down and walk away. Now."

Echo scowled at Kace and Elliott yelled, "Stay out of this Kace. It's not your problem." He looked back over to his twin and said, "Everyting that went wrong, every time, you always came crawling to me to fix it. And I always did. SO don't you every tell me I was never there for you."

"You know what, I will give you that. But what about all the times you weren't. The times when I needed you most, you were always busy! You didn't give to shits once you got into the NFL. You got your dream job, your dream house, and you left me at the side of the road like trash along with the rest of your old life!" Echo stood his ground.

"You were never trash! Never!" Elliott stared his brother up and down. "Why are you acting so weird? What happened to you before you got here?" He yelled at the boy. 

Echo breathed in through his nose, the inale and exhail sounding like and angry bull'd, his face red. "You wanna know why! Because I'm gay! My roommate was my boyfriend too. He was sleeping around with some guy down the street. I found out about it but I couldn't ask him up front. Then all of this--" He pointed to the diaper that was strapped around his waist and covered by his pants. "--started! He didn't understand and he didn't care and I couldn't take it anymore so I left and took the first bus I could find here. I didn't want you to know because I didn't know how you'd react." Hot tears were streaming down his face as everything finally came out.

Elliott calmed down a bit and gave his twin a side smile. "It's about time you told me." He laughed, putting a hand on Echo's shoulder. "I've know since sixth grade."

Echo looked up at Elliott, anger replaced with confusion. His brother was nothing more than a patch of odd colors due to his tears. "But, how?" He didn't even know until high school.

"You're my twin. You think I don't notice when you never told me about any girls you liked. It was only ever guys! 'Jimmy made a basket today.' 'Alex has new shoes.'" Elliott mocked his light heatedly. "I never cared and I never will. You're my brother, even if you wet your pants. I don't care."

Elliott pulled Echo close and hugged him. "I just want you to be happy."


	27. Chapter 27

Kace stood in awe of the events that unfolded out in front of him. It hit him like a blow to the chest, making him lose his breath and stand in the room looking like a deer in head lights. The spat was couldn't have been more than a few minutes but as they yelled back and forth it seemed like hours. He'd never been good with people yelling so much.

Before he knew it, Echo stood in the middle of an empty room looking confused and flustered as Elliott pulled him in for a hug. It took a second for all of their words to untangle and form sentences through his head, and when it finally did, he asked, "What?"

Echo looked up from his brother's embrace and over to Kace, their face's perfect reflections of confusion.

Elliott pushed Echo back and said, "Feel better now?"

Echo didn't reply as Elliott turned to Kace.

"Just a normal spat between two brothers. No big deal." He gave Kace a smiled and headed for the stairs.

Now it was Echo's turn to say, "What?"

Elliott spoted half way up the steps and turned around to face the living room. "Our whole lives, you would never tell me anything until I got you so angry that you lost your filter." He shrugged at his own thoughts and then said, "Have to get it out of you somehow."

With that, Elliott walked back to his room and Echo and Kace stood in the living room with little understanding of what just happened.

"He did all that... Just so you'd voice what was wrong?" Kace said, amazed at Elliott technique. And the fact that it worked.

Echo wiped his nose on his sleeve and looking at Kace, hot tears still pouring down his face. "I hate him. I hate him, I hate him, I hate him." He half yelled, face still twisted in anger.

Kace sighed. "No you don't." He pulled Echo in for a hug as he shook and gaped in air through tears.

It was a long and hard cry, the kind you have when every little thing that could go wrong does and you have to keep face. So you push through the hurt and pain right up to the point where you're hiding from it for so long you end up drowning in your own misery. Tears coming in a rush and your body losing control of all moter function as you shake and shiver, unable to stand and unable to craw your way out.

Kace held onto Echo tightly, the boy's tears soaking through his shirt as he shook, each breath an exhausting effort. Echo's legs had already given up on him, but Kace kept him up right and lifted him off the ground. Echo wrapped his legs around the man's torso as Kace carried him up to his room, shushing him the whole way.

When his sobs became no more than shaky breaths, Kace let go of Echo slowly to set him on the bed. The boy was half asleep anyway, and Kace needed the time to change his clearly soaked diaper. He made sure to give Echo his tattered blanket before walking to the bathroom to grab a diaper and supplies. When he came back, he placed the new diaper under the old one as he unstrapped the old one and wiped his area. Once he was clean, Kace took the old diaper off compleatly, leaving the new one for Echo's bum to sit on. Kace strapped it up and decided not to bother with his PJ bottoms as he tucked Echo in, the boy falling from the cusp of sleep a few minutes earlier.

His breathing was a steady rythem as he gripped Snugie closely. Kace sighed at the boy's still red face before walking down stairs to clean up from dinner. He put the extra food into tubawear, giving another sigh to the sight of Echo's untouched plate. When everything was washed and cleaned, he headed back to his room to grab a pair of pajama bottoms before going up to Echo's room.

He was stopped by Elliott in the hallway before walking into the boy's room. "Hey, is he okay?" He asked, trying to look around Kace and into the room, but seeing nothing.

"Yeah, I think he's okay." Kace said, then sighed, "Are you going to tell me what that was all about?l

"Look, ever since we were kids, Echo wouldn't every give up any information willingly. I always had to get him worked up and mad for him to say what was bothering him." Elliott said.

"You mean push him over the edge?"

Elliott sighed, and his right hand rubbed the back of his neck. "Look, I know it wasn't the best idea, but he's been here for a while and he wasn't telling me anything. You don't understand. Just, hear me out, okay?" He pleaded. "Echo is a great guy, and is usually a very chipper soul. But he gets whit these guys who have no respect for him and every time the do this kind of shit and each time he comes back less and less like himself.

"He needs a reset. But that's not something I can do, you know? I try to help as much as I can, but it doesn't always work and he just ends up with the same guys."

Kace let a puff of air out. "And how are you going to help him this time? Actually help him?" He put strain on the last sentence.

"That's where I though you could come in." Elliott said, his fain turned into a shy smile. "I know you're--What is it called?--ADCL?"

"ABDL." Kace sighed. He knew Elliott had found that out somehow. "What of it?"

"Right, well, I was thinking you could do it." Elliott said. "I'm not trying to set you two up or something, and--Let's be honest--Echo's already halfway there. More, actually."

Kace laughed, the kind that's done with one puff of air in a slight amusement way. "You want me to make your twin brother a Little and to be his Big?"

"If that's what it takes." Elliott said, compleatly serious. "I read about it a little on the internet when I found out about you and, I don't know that much, but I know that it can help people. Help them be who they want to be. Echo has a lot of things going for him, but he deserves to just be removed from this world. From the adult part, anyway. It could be mutually beneficial."

"How so?" Kace asked. The idea did seem like fun, he had to admit.

"My brother gets a reset. You get a little." Elliott said, his face straight.

"And what makes you think I want a little."

"Your internet search history, for one." Elliott smiled.

"Hey! That's private!" Kace half yelled, half whispered.

"And the smile on your face when I brought it up." Elliott finished and raised and eyebrow to Kace.

Kace chewed on the inside on his lip and looked Elliott up and down. "So, let's say I do this and Echo is in with it. First of all, it's not cheep. Some of the stuff that'll make it truly authentic get up there in price. And then there's the question of how far it will go? How long until you or he will want me to stop?"

"Everything will be on me." Elliott said. "And for as long as it takes."

"Okay, but, how far?"

"You mean, control wise?" Elliott asked. Kace nodded. "Everything."

"I control every aspect of his life, and he'll have no say in anything." Kace said, making sure Elliott knew what he was getting into.

"That's the idea." Elliott looked Kace in the eye. "Will you do it?"

Kace thought it over. It's not like he had much else to do and it could be fun. Of course there was always the point of Echo saying no, and then what? What would he do when it was over?

"I'm in so long as Echo is and he understands compleatly what he's getting into." He said finally.  
"Deal." Elliott smiled. "We'll ask him tomorrow."

Kace nodded and waved good night, walking into Echo's room and laying down on his side of the bed. Echo unconsciously cuddled in next to Kace as he played with the boy's hair. Maybe having Echo as his official little would be fun.


	28. Chapter 28

Short message to all of my readers:  
Thank you so much for your support!

This is a very long story but all of your comments and Kudos and everything makes it all worth it! This is a story that I've been working on for many months so there is a lot more to it (I'm writing the 67th chapter currently) and please hang in there because I promise tons of love and twists and hurt but, in the end, everyone dies...

Just kidding! I wouldn't do that! 

But seriously, thank you guys.  
Okay, message over. Now, back to the story:


	29. Chapter 29

The next morning, Echo woke up to an empty bed. He hadn't had any memorable nightmares, so he knew Kace had to of stayed last night. He rubbed his eyes and looked around, taking in the whole room. When his mouth opened to yawn, the sound of water being pushed through pipes came from the bathroom, the sound of the faucet following before Kace opened the door and saw Echo.

"Hey, you're up." He smiled, walking back to the bed. "How you doing?"

Echo gave the man a small smile. "Okay, I guess."

"Good to hear it." Kace rubbed the boy's back lightly when he sat on the bed. "You hungry? You didn't eat much last night."

Suddenly, everything from last night came back in a large rush. He looked into space, trying to remember everything that had been said. "Last night was--"

"Bad." Kace finished for him. Echo wasn't going to go with that work choice, but it got the point across. "Let's not worry about that right now, okay. Because right now, I'm starving and you need a change."

Echo looked down at his crotch area and moaned when he noticed the decorations on the front were faded, telling him it was wet.

Kace rubbed Echo's back as his head fell into his hands. "It's okay, let's just get you changed and then we can go eat something yummy."

Echo nodded and threw his feet over the side of the bed and walked to the bathroom, Kace following behind and closing the door once he was inside. The boy laid down onto the floor and let out a puff of air as Kace go to work, tearing off the tapes and wiping him down before strapping another around his waist and patting his belly, sending Echo a smile.

Echo took it half heartily and stood up. They walked down to the kitchen where Elliott was already rummaging through the fridge to throw something together. He stood up as they walked in, giving them both a good morning.

"Morning." Kace smiled. "You off to work?"

"Yeah, just as soon as I find something to eat." Elliott said bashfully.

Kace stepped in and took the jug of milk from Elliott and said, "Go sit down. Cereal is not a real food." He grabbed the eggs and a package of bacon and set to cooking it up in the cast iron pan.

Echo took his normal seat at the island to watch, his feet under him as he sat crosslegged. He ignored Elliott the only way he knew how and had his back to his brother.

"Hey, Echo." Elliott said from behind him. When Echo didn't respond or acknowledge that he'd said anything at all, Elliott sighed. "Look, I'm sorry about last night. I said some things that didn't need to be said and I'm sorry I yelled at you."

Echo looked over his shoulder, his face still showing how much Elliott had hurt him. But no matter what, Elliott was still his twin brother. And that meant more than anything else in the world. He looked down at his shoes and said, "Just don't do it again."

Elliott smiled. "I promise." He placed his hand across his chest, a seal they had created when they were younger. It was the way Elliott told Echo that everything was going to be okay from now on.

Echo smiled and did the same. Elliott wrapped an arm around the boy and gave him a tight hug that Echo returned.

Kace watched the ordeal from the corner of his eyes as the two made up. He gave an unnoticeable smile. That's what a brother is supposed to do, he thought. He plated the food, throwing some grapes onto each one before setting the food down at the table.

Echo and Elliott followed and sat down and started to dig in. They smiled up at Kace, saying, "This is really good."

Kace smiled and looked at Echo, unsure of how to really bring up his question. He looked to Elliott for help. The man was well versed in having an entire conversation with nothing more than eye contact and picked up on what Kace needed right away.

"Hey, Echo." Elliott started. "Do you like the way Kace is watching out for you?"

Echo looked up from his plate with a confused look. "I guess." He tried not to think of all the ways Kace had helped him and how he'd been the first person to just accept him the was he was.

"Do you want him to keep doing it?" Elliott asked.

Now Echo was really confused. "What's this all about."

Kace was only now thinking that maybe they should have brought his up after Echo had eaten more. But, it was too late now. "What your brother means is, well, we want to know if you..."  
"Kace has been having a hard time lately and was wondering if you'd want to be his little." Elliott finished.

Kace shoot Elliott a look that mostly followed a three letter abbreviation. "Elliott--"

"He can explain most of it to you, but the basic idea would be that Kace would take care of you the same way a person would with a baby." Elliott said.

"I'm not a baby." Echo said sternly.

"Not like a baby," Kace tried to recover. He'd forgotten about Echo's sensitivity about the word. "Like a toddler. I know it sounds weird, but it would be fun for everyone."

"Yeah, you see, Kace would have someone to take care of, you would have someone looking out for you, and I could rest easy knowing that you're being treated right." Elliott said.  
Kace knew this wasn't really the best way to bring any of this up, but at least I could all be thrown out now. "There's more that goes into it than just that, but you'd get to have fun and not worry about any of the boring adult stuff."

Echo stared at the blankly. "So you want me to just... Do nothing?" He asked.

"Not noting." Kace said. "Just have fun and be you."

"Okay," Echo said, stretching out the word. "What's in it for you?"

"Well," Kace cleared his throat, "It's a little hard to explain."

Elliott watched everything before checking his watch and saying, "Would love to stay to see the end, but if I'm late to practice, coach'll kill me. Later." He stood up and grabbed his keys and headed for the garage door.

Kace sighed. "Why don't we go talk in the living room?"

Eco's brow tightened in suspicion, but he stood up and followed Kace into the other room. He took a spot on the couch, Kace sitting on the other side trying to collect his thoughts.

"So, what would happen is that I would take care of you. All of your needs and most of your wants would be controlled by me. you wouldn't have to worry about anything." Kace explained. "You'd have bedtimes and nap times and everything that a normal toddler would. The only difference would be that you're a little bigger."

"Okay," Echo said after a long pause. "So, let's say I do all that stuff. What would be the point?"

"The point would be to let you be you. It's used as a sort of reset button." Kace explained. "Once the button is hit, you work your way back to the real world and become a new you."

"And it just happens?" Echo asked.

"Not immediately. It happens over time. And it will take a lot of it." Kace shifted in his seat. "But, I won't do anything until you say you want to."

Echo stained hard at Kace trying to wrap his mind around the concept. "So, if I do say yes, what changes?"

"Well, I'd want to change up your room. Get some things more fit for a toddler. And we could pick out some toys and such. Then clothes and shoes. But most of all, you would." Kace tried to it every point he could.

"Why do you want to?" Echo finally asked. It was the last question he had.

"Because I want to help you. Because you deserve to have a free thought without someone telling you no. And most of all, because I know you want to." Kace smiled. He'd see the way Echo's face turned in hope at not having to worry about all the things that picked a the back of his mind.

It took Echo a long time to answer, to understand what he was agreeing to, and to hold down his joy at having Kace say he cared for him. "You promise not to do anything bad if I say yes?" He asked.

Kace held back a laugh at Echo's voice change. "What do you mean by bad?"

Echo closed his eyes a sighed. "You won't tie me down or touch me in ways I don't like?" His eyes were locked on Kace as the man's face twisted into concern.

"I would never do that." He said, leaning in to place a hand on Echo's shoulder. "Did someone do that to you?"

Echo's face twisted, trying to decide whether or not it was worth telling Kace. "My old roommate. He didn't like that I'd wet the bed one night and he tied me to one of the posts and made me sit in it. I kept yelling at him to let me go, but he--" His voice broke as a tear fell down his face.

Kace pulled Echo onto his lap and rocked lightly. "I promise I will never do anything like that. Ever." Kace whispered into Echo's ear as the bo gripped a handful of his shirt. "It would only be things you are okay with, I promise."

Echo nodded his head and leaned back from Kace's chest. "Will you still stay with me at night?"

"If you want, yeah. We can do that for a little bit. But eventually, this will help we don't have to." He smiled down at Echo and rustled his hair. Echo smiled right back and pushed his head back onto Kace.


	30. Chapter 30

"So, what now?" Echo asked, looking up at Kace.

"Well, now we go finish breakfast and you can ask me what ever you want. We can set up all the stuff today and start tomorrow." Kace said, picking Echo up and walking back to the table.

"Not hungry." Echo complained as he wiggled around.

"Well, you're still going to eat." Kace sat him down in his chair and pushed the plate closer to him. "You didn't eat last night and you haven't been eating well since you got here. So, you're going to eat this until your plate is empty while I make some calls."

Echo glared at the food, but picked up his fork and shoved eggs into his mouth. Kace smiled and walked off, grabbing his phone to call a friend. He kept an eye on Echo as it rang a few times before someone picked up. 

"This is Teddy." A voice came across the line.

"Hey, Teddy, it's me. Kace." Kace said with a smile to his voice.

"Kace!" The sound of something being dropped came across the line. "Been a while since I heard from you! How you doing?"

"I'm great. How are you?"

"Ah, you know. Same old, same old." Teddy laughed. "How are you and Will?"

"Dude," Kace half laughed. "I told you Will isn't with me anymore."

"Ah man, I'm sorry. Didn't mean to bring up any bad memories." Teddy said apologetically.

"It's okay. But, change of subject." Kace said, trying to divert the conversation. "I need a favor."

"For you, Kace, anything." Teddy said. 

Kace couldn't help the smile that came across his face. Teddy and him hadn't talked in a long time, but the man was treating him like they just talked yesterday. Friends like that were hard and few. "I've got a new little."

"Ah man, that's great!" Teddy laughed over the line. "I'm happy for you!"

"Thanks. Anyway, we need the whole nine yards but only have about a foot. Anyway you could get me everything I'd need and deliver it today?" Kace asked, biting his lip. Teddy was good, but this may be asking a bit much.

"There's a very high chance, yeah. Is it a boy or a girl?" Teddy asked. The sound of shifting papers came over the phone as Kace answered. "Boy then. Yup. I've got a set I just finished a few days ago. It's yours if you want it."

"I'll take it." Kace held down a slight hoo-ra to himself and said, "Can you do something for me, though?"

"Like I said, man. Anything." Teddy answered.

Kace asked his request, to which Teddy said could easily be done. Kace smiled, gave him to address to deliver it to, than thanked him and hung up. He looked over to see that Echo hadn't gotten much farther with his food.

Kace walked over and sat down across from him, concern painted across his face. "Are you okay?"

Echo sighed and sat down his fork. "Yeah it's just--I don't know."

Kace's lips went tight in thought. "Is there something I can do?"

Echo looked up at Kace. "Not really."

Kace could tell he was on edge, him not eating was enough to prove that. But why was another matter. "Why don't we go and watch some TV then, okay." He gave the boy a half smile.

Echo nodded and got up from his set, following Kace into the living room. He plopped down on the couch in the nook where the back met the arms and pulled his legs to his chest.

Kace turned on the TV asking, "What would you like to watch?"

Echo moaned and I-don't-know and watched as Kace flipped through some of the apps before getting to Netflix.

"We could watch a movie or a TV show. It's up to you." Kace settled down on the couch and flipped through a few movies, watching Echo out of the side of his eyes. Echo sat with a blank look on his face until a show passed by. Kace turned his attention back to the TV to see an animated version of the Justice League across the screen.

"What to watch this?" Kace asked.

Echo gave a soft smiled and nodded yes, scooting closer to Kace and settling down next to him as the man started the show and let it play. Echo was immediately engulfed by the show and relaxed next to Kace, who tried to follow along but didn't get much out of it. He drifted in and out of sleep as Echo laughed next to him.

When he woke up for the third or forth time, he noticed Echo had fallen asleep, his face squashed against Kace's shirt. Kace had a smiled across his face as he twined one of Echo's curls around his fingers and pulled a blanket from the back of the couch, spreading it across the boy.

Kace was half way back to sleep when a knock came on the door. The man rubbed his eyes and moved Echo off of his chest and onto a pillow slowly, careful not to wake him. He swung the door open slowly to see Teddy's face, covered in light wrinkles as he smiled at Kace.

"How are you doing?" He asked, laughing. Teddy was a tall man, and well built. He had one of those chiseled faces that you'd never noticed until you looked right at it. He held out a hand that Kace took and shook.

Kace smiled at the man. "You got here quick."

"Quick? It's been five hours since you called me." Teddy laughed.

Kace checked his phone and moaned. "I didn't realize it was already that late."

"Hey, it's only late afternoon. Anyway, I brought everything you asked for." He said, stepping out of the way to show Kace the truck.

"Awe man, you're awesome." Kace smiled. He walked out to the truck and lifted a box out, a number one written across it. "And you made sure to add what I asked?"

"Of course." Teddy smiled. "Now, I hate bringing this up, but before we get to putting it together..."  
"Oh, yes." Kace said, pulling out his wallet and handing over the card that Elliott had given him for anything they'd need to make Echo a little. 

Teddy smiled and reached into the truck to grab a his phone and the card slider, attaching the two before slipping the car through it and punching the buttons. He handed the card back and had Elliott sign. Once the payment was confirmed, Teddy smiled up and said, "All good. Let's get to building it."

Kace nodded and pulled the box out, Teddy helping carry it through the door. "Oh, please be on the quiet side. He's asleep on the couch."  
"No problem." Teddy nodded. 

They headed up the stairs and Kace guided them into Echo's room. They leaned the box against the wall and walked back down stairs. It took five trips to get everything up stairs before Teddy set to work putting it all together. Kace helped hold the large pieces of wood as Teddy screwed them together, everything pre sized and only needing to be attached. 

When the bed was finished, they got to work on the table, a chair, and a book shelf. When the room was compleat, Teddy waved his good bye and gave Kace the room to finish up.

Teddy had happily agreed to pick up a few of the extra things on his way to the house that Kace had ordered online for a store pickup.

He got to work making the bed and stocking the changing table, making sure everything was perfect before closing the door and making his way back downstairs to Echo.

The boy was sprawled out on the couch still and Kace rubbed his back lightly to wake him up. Echo moaned, but rolled over and opened his eyes to see Kace who was smiling at him. 

"Time to get up, sleepy head." Kace sing-songed. "You've been sleeping a long time."

Echo sat up and leaned onto Kace, his body still warm from the blanket. Kace wrapped his arms around the boy and rubbed his sides. "Why don't we try to eat something again, okay?"

Echo nodded. He was a little hungry after all. 

Kace got up, carrying Echo over to the kitchen and sitting him down on the counter. Echo didn't really know how to react to the gesture, but let Kace do it all the same. He watched as the man pulled out peanut butter and bread and started making sandwiches. He handed half of one to Echo, taking a bite out of his own.

"Want some milk?" He asked.

Echo nodded, nibbling on the sandwich as Kace pulled a freshly washed sippy cup from the washing machine and filling it with milk before handing it to the boy. 

Echo stared at it, unsure of whether or not to take it.

"It's part of the thing we talked about," Kace said, shaking it. "It won't hurt you, I promise."

Echo took the cup, but didn't drink from it as Kace cleaned up from lunch. When he looked back, his face fell after noticing Echo wasn't drinking the milk. "Hey now, come on, you need to drink you milk." Kace said, picking up the cup from where Echo sat it down and wiggling it in front of the boy.

Echo plucked it out of Kace's hand with a sigh and said, "Do I really have to?"

Kace nodded yes. "It won't hurt, I promise. Just try it."

Echo let out another puff of air and stuck the opening in his mouth, sucking on it before taking it back out. It wasn't bad, he had to admit, but it did feel a little strange. He looked up at Kace who had a reassuring smile across his face.

"See, I told you. Now, drink it all please." Kace turned around and finished loading the dishwasher.

Echo eyed the cup, wondering if it was really okay for him to be doing this. But, Kace said it was part of it, so it had to be okay on some level. He wasn't breaking any laws by simply drinking from a cup. In fact, none of it was illegal, right?

He picked the sippy cup back up and took another swing. The cup was a little fun to drink out of and the milk went well with his sandwich.


	31. Chapter 31

After lunch, Kace took Echo back to the living room so he could watch more of his show. He'd hoped that it would distract the boy from his new drinking utensil as he finished the milk. He smiled when he noticed it was working and Echo was finishing the milk, smiling as Superman flashed across the screen.

"Why do you like super heroes so much?" Kace asked in the twenty seconds it too to load the next episode.

"Because they're cool" Echo said. "No one ever gets away with bad things when they're around. And no one messes with them either." 

Kace looked down at Echo with concern in his eyes. "Is that it?"

"No, it's also because they have lots of cool powers." Echo smiled up at Kace who tried his best to return it. Echo went back to his show and Kace now followed along.  
He could see the appeal easily, the main heroes did do a lot of cool things. The story line was easy to follow as well, but no so much to bore you. By the time Elliott came home, Kace had grabbed all of the original seven's names and their powers. He knew it would probably be smart to do for Echo.

"How are you two?" Elliott asked after setting his keys down.

"Oh, hey. Welcome home. We're good. How was practice?" Kace replied, looking over his shoulder.

"Wearing. I'm going to grab a shower. You guys have plans for dinner?" Elliott asked, already on his way up the stairs.

"I want just going to do something easy. Soup? Or macaroni?" Kace said, still unsure.

"Alright cool. But whatever it is, make a lot. Im starved." Elliott laughed, and stomped up the last few steps to his room.

Kace sat for a few minutes more before getting up to start dinner. He expected Echo to continue his show, but instead the boy followed him no took his seat at the island.

"So, what would you like?" Kace asked, pulling out the boiling pot.

"Macaroni sounds okay." Echo said, grabbing one of the football shaped salt shakers and fiddling with it to give his hands something to do. He wondered where his brother would get this kind of stuff as Kace opened the two boxes of noddles and stirred periodically to keep them from sticking together. He mixed in the powdered cheese and placed everything in three bowls, making sure to give Elliott his own box while splitting the other one with Echo, knowing the boy probably wouldn't eat that much but not wanting to waste it. If Echo didn't eat it, Elliott most likely would, happily.

Kace took the spot at the head of the table, Echo and Elliott taking their normal seats. Kace watched as Echo slowly made his way through half the bowl and Elliott finished, once more amazed by how different the two were.

"Hey, I'm going to be working late and leaving early the next few days, so don't wait up for me, okay." Elliott announced.

"Really? Why?" Kace asked. He grabbed a paper towel to try and clean up some of the noodles Echo had dropped on the table.

"Coach is really cracking down on us before the season starts. We have our first per season game here soon, so he's not letting up.. Elliott stood up and took his bowl to the sink. "Anyway, I'll be getting home pretty late."

"Okay, well, I'll make sure to leave something in the fridge for you to warm up." Kace nodded to himself.

"You dot have to, but I would appreciate it." Elliott headed for the stairs waving a good night and walking to his room.

Kace looked over to Echo only to find that he still wasn't eating much. "Come one, that's not enough. Please eat more."

Echo shook his head. "Not hungry."

Sighing, Kace took Echo spoon and scooped up a few noodles before holding it out to the boy. "Eat, please." When Echo shook his head no, Kace let out a puff of air and sat the fork down. He'd have to think of some way to get the boy to eat more here soon. But, until then,he'd have to take what he could get. Echo seems fussy and he didn't want to push him over. "Let's go get ready for bed." Kace suggested with a smile.

Echo shook his head no and stood up saying, "I'm not tired."

"Well, bed time is at nine and we're coming up on that real quick. And we still need to scoop Leo's litter box and make sure he has food and water. So come on." Kace held out a hand for Echo who took it begrudgedly as they walked up the stairs. They went straight to Echo's bathroom from the hall, bypassing his room, which Echo thought was weird. But, he paid it no mind when Kace started a bath and told him to lay down.

Echo wasn't so sure about this, but he laid down all the same as Kace worked his was around the diaper straps and took off the soaked diaper. The man sighed, noticing that, once again, Echo had failed to tell him he needed changed. He made a mental note to do regular checks from now on and threw the diaper into the tea rash can before pulling of the boys shirt and lifting him into the tub. Echo breathed in sharply as he was placed in the water, not expecting to be picked up like that.

Kace eased the hearing aides out of the boys ears and placed the on the counter before coming back to wash his hair. Echo had already dunked his head into the bath water and was reaching for the soap. Kace grabbed it first and shook his head no.

"I got it." Echo's words were slurred due to his inability to hear them. He reached to take the soap back but Kace pulled it farther away.

"I'm going to." He said slowly, making sure Echo could read his mouth easily before he pointed to himself and then the soap.

Understanding what he meant, Echo sighed and put his hands by his sides. He let Kace lather his head, and it actually felt pretty good. He closed his eyes and yawned, leaning into the man as he rubbed his scalp.

Kace smiled at the boy as he started to relax, rubbing soap down his back and sides as he hummed a small song. Echo couldn't hear the tune, but felt the vibrations as they reached his skin.

When he boy was clean, Kace pulled him out of the tub and stood him up, wrapping a towel around him. "We're going to go into your room now." He said after helping Echo put his hearing aides back in. "I need you to stay calm and keep an open mind, okay."

Echo's fave twisted in confusion, but he nodded yes and walked penguin style to the door that led out of the bathroom and into his room, waiting for Kace to open the door so he wouldn't have to open the towel.

Kace gave the boy a reassuring smile and opened the door, flipping on the light switch before moving out of the way and showing Echo what his room now was. He watched as Echo's face turned into an amused smile.

He had no other way to describe the room than big, making him feel very small in comparison. He took a step in to get a better look at the new sheets that made up his bed, holding them between his fingers before moving on to inspect the changing table that was stocked well and sat high. He looked back at Kace and asked, "When did you have time for all this?"

"You slept a lot this afternoon." He smiled at Echo hopefully, willing the boy to smile back. "I was thinking we could go and get some books and toys tomorrow if you'd like."

Echo didn't know how to react. He was tired and overwhelmed and really didn't feel like having to deal with anything new right now. Kace could sense this and walked up to the boy, rubbing his back before he could freak out.

"But for now, let's get ready for bed, okay?" He pushed Echo lightly towards the changing table, letting him walk to it before living him up and placing his on his back.

Echo liked this a lot better than the floor and it was much softer as Kace placed a diaper under the boy and strapped it closed. He rubbed Echo's belly before walking over to his dresser to grab a pair of PJ's. Echo followed Kace with his eyes until his sight rested on a shield at the head of the changing table. He twisted his head more to see what it was, turning his neck to the side and pushing against the side of the table.

"What's this?" Echo asked, reaching up with his hand to hands to run a finger across the carving.

Kace looked up and smiled. He wondered when Echo would notice that. "I thought you might like it." He couldn't help but notice how young the boy looked twisted around like that in nothing more than a diaper on the changing table.

"It's the Superman shield." He smiled. "It's really well done."

"Yeah, Teddy is really great with this kind of stuff. But let's not talk about that right now, okay." He walked back to the table and helped Echo into a fleas onesie. "Now, it's bed time."

Echo's face turned itself into a light glare. He hadn't had a bed time in years. "No bedtime." He said harshly.

"Yes bedtime." Kace zipped the button up to Echo's neck and lifted him off the table and carrying him over to the crib. Echo squirmed, not wanting to go to bed yet, but Kace held onto him and he placed the boy into his new bed. "There we go. Now, I'll go get Snuggie and you'll be off to sleep in no time."

Echo crossed his arms in the crib and watched as Kace pulled his tattered blanket off a shelf and came over, passing it over the bars. Echo snagged it with a little more force than he meant and laid down, back to Kace.

Kace sighed. It would take Echo a second to get used to this, but once he did, it would be a lot more fun for everyone. Kace was sure if it.


	32. Chapter 32

Echo had a hard time falling asleep, not wanting to ask Kace to stay as the man headed back downstairs to clean up from dinner. He also had make sure he got Leo back to his spot and let Jake out before he passed out himself. The boy tossed for several hours before finally falling into a light, restless sleep.

When Kace came back up stairs after fining Leo, he closed the door behind him into the boy's room and sat the cat down. Leo meowed and ran for the bathroom where a light was still on. Kace watched as the cat knocked the door open more and stepped in before turning his head to see what a noise was. It was a mix between a cry and a moan and it did not sound good at all.

He walked over to Echo's crib to see the boy sprawled uncomfortably on the bed, sheets askew and wrapped around him. Kace's brow crunched in the middle as Echo cried out once more before a muffled scream hit. The concern spread as he reached a hand over and shook the boy lightly.

Echo screamed again, this one louder as his eyes snapped open. He scrambled around, trying to find out where he was as adrenaline pumped through his vanes. Kace tried to keep the kid from hitting himself as he dropped the bars to the crib and wrapped his arms around the scrambling body.

His breathing was hard and his heart beat so fast that Kace could feel it as he held tight to Echo's shaking body. "It's okay, it's okay." Kace whispered, rocking back and forth.

It took a lot time to get Echo calm enough to ask his what happened. Kace was worried the answer would make this his fault, but he took the chance.  
"What happened?" He asked.

Echo took in a deep breath, air seeming scarce after his most recent nightmare. "Bad--bad-" he shook his head against Kace's chest, grabbing fistfuls of the man's shirt. "Bad things."

Kace rubbed the boys back, bringing him closer to the point of almost squeezing him. "It's okay, I'm here. I'll keep all the bad stuff away." Kace hummed. "Me and Jake and Leo, we will keep all of the bad things away. I promise."

Echo just shook his head and pushed harder against Kace, the man's warmth and words putting him back to sleep. Kace let out a puff of air after seeing Echo had fallen asleep. That was the most afraid he'd ever seen the boy. Although, it still wasn't a good thing Echo was having these kids of nightmares, he was glad Echo had fallen back asleep. Maybe he wouldn't even remember it?

Kace stood up, taking Echo's sleeping form with him as he walked back to the crib and sat the boy down, tucking him in before getting in himself and pulling the boy close. He let out a puff of air and let his breathing steady before closing his eyes and praying for sleep.

\---

Kace woke up the next morning to Echo shifting around, flipping from his his back to his side, pushing his head against the older's shoulder. Kace smiled and rubbed the boy's curls easing him awake.

"Hey buddy." Kace said lightly. "Come on, it's time to get up."

Echo stirred again, closing his eyes tighter before opening them and smiling up at Kace. "Morning."

Kace was happy that his little boy was in a good mood and smiled a good morning back. "You doing okay?" He asked.

Echo nodded yes, not knowing why Kace was asking. "Yeah. I'm hungry."

Surprised at the boy's want of food, Kace got up and walked to the bathroom, only noticing then that the side of his shorts were wet. His brow furrowed and he inspected it, looking back at the bed where Echo still laid, watching the older man look at him. Kace walked back to the bed and lifted the blanket to show a large wet spot around Echo.

Echo looked heart broken at the mess, his smile falling and his eyes starting to well up. Kace reacted quickly, pulling the boy from the bed and setting him on the changing table before Echo had time to react.

Pulling the off Echo's PJ bottoms, Kace asked, "So what do you want for breakfast? Eggs? Pancakes? Maybe some oatmeal?" He tried to distract the boy as much as he could.

"Eggs." Echo sniffled, following Kace's conversation more than what he was doing with the soaked diaper and pants.

Kace smiled at the working distraction as he wiped Echo down. "How would you like them cooked? Scrambled or maybe fried? And we could do fruit on the side. Strawberries sound good?"

"Fried. I like the runny yolk." Echo said. "A I like strawberries."

"That's great. Strawberries are yummy." Kace smiled at the boy. He slid a new diaper under his bum and tapped it closed after powdering it thoroughly. 

Echo nodded his head. "Yeah, strawberries and kiwis are my favorite."

"Yeah? That's good. We have both of those I think. I could cut up both and you can have them with your eggs if you like." Kace lifted Echo off the changing table and walked across the room to grab Sunggie, giving it to the boy before pushing him lightly towards the door.

Echo took his blankie happily and followed Kace down the stairs. Kace got started on the eggs and Echo took his normal place and sat his head on Snuggie. "May I have some milk?"

"I don't know, can you ask politely?" Kace teased, smiling at the boy.

"Please?" Echo asked, stretching out the word. 

Kace nodded, satisfied for now as he grabbed the jug of milk and poured it into a sippy cup. This time, Echo didn't give it much thought as he sucked on the lid, the flow slow but he didn't really mind. Kace smiled at Echo's willingness, thinking maybe this won't be so hard after all.

He plated the eggs and cut up strawberries and a kiwi before setting it down in front of Echo. The boy smiled up at Kace before grabbing the fork with his left hand and digging in. Kace did the same, taking note on the way Echo ate. It'd been the first time he'd noticed Echo was left-handed.

So they really are identical then? He thought. And I've seen enough of Elliott's games to see he's clearly right handed, so Echo has to be the left handed one. Aren't they supposed to be more artistic or something? Would explain his talents with the arts. Speaking of which, we never did give him that art set... Maybe I should later today in case he needs something to do...

Kace was pulled out of his thoughts as Echo pushed back his empty plate. Kace smiled brightly and rushed his hair. "Hey, look at who's eating his whole plate. Good boy!"

Echo took the praise and beamed back. Kace stood up and took the plates over to the sink, rinsing them off as he said, "I was thinking we could go to the store and get you some toys if you want."

"What kind of toys?" Echo asked, thrilled by the idea.

"Well, anything you like, I s'pose. Within reason, of course." Kace leaned against the counter and looked back at Echo. "So long as you will use them."

Echo nodded his head and looked around the room. He didn't know why, but the kitchen just looked different. "Did something change in here?"

Kace looked around. "No, why?"

He hummed and I-don't-know and glanced around once more. "Just looks different."

"Well, why don't we go get dressed and then we can leave, okay?" Kace pushed off of the counter and walked over to Echo, pulling him off the stool and into his arms. Echo giggled as the man tickled him lightly and carried him to his room.

"I can walk, you know." Echo said as they walked into his room.

"Yeah, but I like holding you." Kace smiled down before walking over to Echo's dresser and pulling out an outfit. "Are you still dry?" 

Echo's head tilted to the side, not knowing what Kace meant. Then it hit him. "Oh, yeah. I'm dry." He shifted his legs to make sure.

Kace chuckled at the boy as his legs moved awkwardly. He walked back over and started to help Echo undress, pulling his shirt over his head. "So, why kind of toys are you looking for?"

Echo shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever looks the most fun."

Kace smiled and pushed a new shirt over his head. "Sounds like we're going to have to do a walk through. Spread your legs, please."

Echo did as he was told and watched as Kace buttoned the shirt between his legs. "Is this a onesie?"

"Yeah, it helps keep the diaper crinkling down." Kace said, standing back up to grab Echo's pants.

"Oh, okay." Echo held onto Kace's shoulders ad the man helped him put on a pair of shorts. "Do I still get to wear one of my superhero shirts or can I not do that anymore?"

"Of corse you can, buddy. You still get to dress in the stuff you like, but I have to make sure it matches the weather and whatnot. You can still wear your superhero shirts." Kace rustled the boys hair before lifting a shirt over his head and helping him into it.

Echo looked down at the shield and put a hand on it as he smiled up at Kace. "Good. I like superheroes."

"I know." Kace smiled back before telling Echo to sit down so he could put on the boy's shoes. Echo did and watched as Kace ties his shoes tightly so they wouldn't fall off. "Alright, lets' go."


	33. Chapter 33

They road with music on this time, taking the SUV. Kace had Echo sit in the back, which didn't go over well at first. Echo liked the view better from the front seat, but Kace pushed for him to sit in the back, stating that it was safer. But he got over it quickly when Kace said he could play DJ and gave the boy the AUX cord.

Kace had shown him how to work Pandora and they listened to Owl City all the way to the store. Kace parked and told Echo to hold on while he jumped out and walked around. Echo didn't want to listen and was reaching for the handle before Kace had the chance to let him out. He pulled on it twice, throwing all of his weight into it before Kace told him to stop. The man opened the door saying, "They're child-locked, bud. Only open from the outside."

Echo sighed and got out, following Kace into the store. "Does the door have to be child locked?"

"It makes this all more real, okay. And it keeps you safe." Kace said, grabbing a cart. "Now, let's go do something fun and get you some toys!"

Echo held back a small smile and followed Kace to the toy isle, walking through each one. Kace watched as the boy looked at each toy, keeping a close eye on his reactions as he scanned over each toy. He seemed to favor toys that could have more than one use, like blocks and Legos, not really caring much for any of the dart guns or swords. Kace could think of more than one reason this could show a lot about a person, but mostly it just showed him what he already knew.

"Could I get action figures?" Echo asked as he looked at a wall of plastic superheroes that were only a step up from Barbies. 

"Well, yeah, if you'd like." Kace said, not seeing anything wrong with it. "You can pretty much get whatever you want."

Echo smiled up at Kace and ran over to the wall, grabbing a few of them off the display and setting them int the basket before running back to grab two more. When he had most of the ones he wanted, he looked up to Kace for approval.

The man looked at each one before saying, "Looks like you have most of the Justice League here, bud. Looks like a lot of fun."

Echo nodded his head and smiled. "Even Superman!"

Kace laughed and pushed the cart to the next isle, watching as Echo pulled a box of Legos off the shelf and put them in the basket. The man wanted to get a few stuffed animals as well, so he looked around for the isle that may have them, finding them two rows down. He threw a stuffed dog, bear, and a koala bear into the cart, watching the boy out of the corner of his eye. When Echo had everything that seemed fun, Lace walked off to the grocery part.

Echo was lagging behind now, the excitement from new stuff wearing off as they walked around the store. Kace tried to cut down the grocery shopping, needing to pick up a few things but putting aside anything extra.

Echo's feet hurt, and his head felt too heavy for his shoulders as it swung to the side. He was tired and ready to walk home, but Kace seemed like he still had a lot to do and he didn't want to bother the man. He could feel as the pressure built up in his bladder as well, and tried to focus on keeping that at bay instead.

Kace finished quickly and walked quickly towards the checkout lane. Echo was still lagging behind, but he followed, walking oddly as he tried to keep his bladder controlled. The man laid all of their stuff on the belt and watched as the cashier scanned each one before bagging it.

Echo couldn't hold it back anymore as his bladder emptied its contents into the padding. The boy held an odd stance as the diaper soaked it up. He let out a small whimper that Kace missed as he slid his card and started pushing the cart for the doors.

Walking awkwardly with a soaked diaper between his legs, Echo hopped into the back of the car and waited as Kace loaded the trunk and jumped into the driver's seat. 

"Well get home soon, okay." Kace said to Echo through the rearview mirror.

Echo nodded and shifted in his seat, the diaper's soaked padding squishing against his rear.

Kace drove home quickly, thinking a nap may be in Echo's future as he fussed in the back seat. He pulled the car into the garage, jumping out of the car and letting Echo out before he started pulling things from the back and carrying them into the house. Echo shimmed with each step as he walked up the garage steps and opened the door, shuffling off to the living room.

"Are you going to help put this away?" Kace asked, setting most of the bags by the staircase.

Echo whined in protest and flopped down on the couch.

"Echo, bud, you have to help put your stuff away." Kace said sternly. He stood his ground, even with Echo in a bad mood.

"Leave me alone." Echo moaned.

Kace walked over to the boy as said, "No, you're helping me. Come on."

Echo glared at Kace, but got up and walked to the stairs to pick up some of the bags. 

"I don't need the sass, mister." Kace warned.

Echo let out another moan as he carried the bags upstairs, Kace following behind with what was left. 

"After this, it's nap time." Kace said.

"I don't need a nap! I'm not a baby!" Echo yelled, dropping the bags and dashing to his room.

"Echo," Kace said, picking the bags up and following the boy. "Echo, don't just throw stuff down like that. And I wasn't saying you were a baby." 

Echo still glared at Kace as he walked into the room, the boy having shoved himself into the corner. "I'm not a baby."

"I didn't say you were." Kace said gentler. Echo was agitated, that much the man could see. Why was another factor. "But a nap may be nice. Just a little extra sleep. Then we can wake up and start fresh."

Echo turned away from Kace. "Don't need a nap."

"Well, this little fit doesn't really help your case, bud." Kace laughed lightly.

Echo glared once more at Kace. "I'm not throwing a fit!"

Letting out a puff of air, Kace leaned down to pick Echo up. The boy squirmed in the man's arms, but Kace didn't let go. "It's defiantly nap time." He was about to set Echo into his crib when Kace noticed how squishing the boy's bum seemed to be. 

Kace pulled Echo's pants to the side and he checked the diaper, finding that the design was faded. "Echo, sweetheart, you have to tell me when you're wet. It's not healthy to stay in a solid diaper."

Tears came to Echo's eyes as he tried to push Kace away, but the man's arms held tight. "I didn't wet. I'm not a baby." He whined.

Kace felt like his lungs were going to stretch past capacity with all the signing he was doing. He sat Echo down on the changing table, strapping him in so he couldn't wiggle his way out. "You know, baby isn't always demeaning term. Sometimes, people use it as another word to call someone they care for."

Echo watched with his large green eyes as Kace pulled off his shorts and unbuttoned the onesie. "But it's mean. No one should ever call someone they care bout by a mean name."

Kace nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's true. But, what if that word held special power for one person. Like, when I call you buddy, it's because we're friends. I don't call people I don't like by that name." He slid off Echo's solid diaper and placed a new one under the boy's touch, powdering it well.

Echo sniffled. "But then why would people call someone a name so meanly."

"Because, sometimes, people will say anything to hurt you." Kace strapped the diaper shut and snapped the buttons back together, bypassing his shorts. He unhooked the strap arose Echo's waist and lifted him off the table and placed him on the floor. "But, if one person can say something to hurt you, doesn't that mean some one can say something to heal you too?"

Echo took a second to think about what Kace said. "So, what you're saying, is that if one person can say a word to be mean, another can say it to be nice?"

Kace smiled and nodded, happy that Echo understood. "Yeah, exactly that." He pulled Echo in for a hug, thrilled that the boy returned it. "So, when I say that you're my baby boy it's because I care about you, not because I'm trying to be mean."

Echo nodded and smiled back at Kace before yawning. "I'm happy that you're you." He leaned against Kace and curled up a bit.  
"I'm glad you're you too, bud." Kace rubbed the boy's back as his drifted off lightly.


	34. Chapter 34

Kace didn't want to leave Echo alone, so he sat the boy onto his bed and lifted the bars before starting on the toys. He took each one out of its box, removing tags and setting them on the dresser in the order he thought would be how the Justice League stood in pictures in their straight lines. He smiled when it looked better than he had thought it would, then got to work on the other toys. He put the stuffed animals on his bed and everything else in a toy box, taking a set against the wall when it was all put away.

Kace knew he should have had Echo help him put it all away, but it's not like he had much else to do while the boy slept. He watched as Echo's chest rose and feel at a steady rate, his arm wrapped around the plush dog already and his diapered butt fully exposed from him moving around and tossing the blanket off. Kace let out a light laugh at the boy and looked around the rest of the room, surprised at how much it could change so easily.

When the second hour of Echo's nap hit, Kace started to wake the boy, rubbing his belling lightly. Echo moaned and rolled onto his side, facing Kace.

"Hey buddy, it's time to get up." Kace smiled.

Echo opened one eye at Kace, his other guarded by his forearm. "Still sleepy."

"No, come on. Let's go get something to eat." He patted the boy's side before standing up to drop the bars. He lifted Echo's floppy body out of the crib and carrying him down stairs. "We're going to try something new this meal." Kace said gently.

Echo assumed it was just new food or something and laid his head on the larger man's shoulders. "Just want chips."

"Alright, why don't we have sandwiches then? You can have some chips with that." Kace suggested.

Echo shrugged. "Not really hungry."

"But you ate so well this morning." Kace sighed. "Well, let's make it anyway and if you don't eat it, you don't eat it. Nothing wrong with that."

Echo was starting to wake up, and wasn't happy that he was already letting Kace down. He sat straighter as Kace sat him onto a chair. "I'll eat it." He said, trying to retain some off the happiness they'd had earlier.

"Well don't corse yourself and make yourself sick, but try for me, okay." Kace gave Echo an encouraging smile.

Echo smiled back and nodded, watching as Kace grabbed a weird looking piece of wood and placed it between the arms of the chair, a rounded piece of wood being placed between his legs. "Is this a--"

"High chair? Yes." Kace moved slowly around the kitchen as Echo adjusted to the new setting.

"Do I have to?" Echo moaned. He didn't really mind it, but it was weird and he as embarrassed.

"No one here but me bud. So, take a deep breath and stay calm. Remember, none of this will hurt you." Kace advised.

Echo did as he was told. Kace was right, after all. He rubbed his hand across the table part, noticing the cup dugout and the superman shield that was hidden in it. He smiled at himself. This was pretty cool.

Kace sat a sandwich in front of Echo after cutting it in half and opening a bag of chips. "Eat up, okay. Ham and cheese."

Echo took a bit of the sandwich, watching as Kace did the same. It was actually pretty good. He took another and looked around. The room still looked weird for some reason. He just couldn't put his finger on it. He shrugged it off and went back to his sandwich, absentmindedly eating it until he noticed it was gone.

Kace watched as the boy zoned out, eyes locked on nothing, but the man decided to let Echo do his thing considering he was still eating. When Echo came back after noticing there was nothing more on his plate, he looked over at Kace.

"What's up bud?" Kace asked, noticing the boy's odd look.

"Uh, I, uh, may..." He shifted awkwardly in his seat.

Kace understood right away. "Alright, it's okay. Let's just get you changed, okay?" He pushed his empty plate aside and stood up, removing the tray from the seat and lifting Echo out of it. Kace was starting to see that when Echo zoned out was when he most likely forgot to control his bladder.

Echo leaned into Kace as the man carried him upstairs, liking the warmth the man gave off. Kace sat him down on the changing station and unbuttoned the onesie, pulling it up before he started on cleaning Echo up. He did it quickly, snapping the new diaper tight around Echo's waist before buttoning the onesie back together and lifting him off the table.

Echo walked right over to the action figures, only now noticing that they were there. He smiled brightly as he pulled one off the dresser and held it in his hand.

"You can play up here if you'd like." Kace offered. "I have to clean up the kitchen anyway and get caught up on some work."

"Can I play outside?" Echo asked. He always liked being outside better.

Kace sighed, "I don't know bud. I don't want you near the pool, especially if I'm not out there with you."

Echo had forgotten about the pool. "I promise not to go anywhere near it! Please!" The boy begged.

"How about you let me do what I need to do, and then we can go outside, okay." Kace offered.

"But I want to go outside now!" Echo's smile dropped and he felt very childish, but didn't care.

"Hey, throwing fits will get us no where. Now, you can take the offer or we will be inside the whole day." Kace crossed his arms.

Echo scowled and plopped down on the floor, back to Kace as the man sighed and walked toward the door, leaving it open as he went downstairs. He really didn't want to be in the house all day, even if it was a house this big. The sun was always better than light bulbs anyway. 

The boy got up to look out the window to find Jake playing happily outside. He smiled as the dog chased a small mammal of some kind, almost hitting the fence as the mammal ran under it. He barked at nothing before circling around and finding a shaded spot under the big oak tree. Echo wished he could go and lay with him. Then an idea crept it's way into the boy's mind, one that he smirked lightly at. "Kace can tell me to stay inside, but that doesn't mean I'm going to." 

Echo tip-toed out of the room, making sure to not hit any of the creaking floorboards as he walked down the back stairs. He turned his head around to make sure Kace wasn't in the room before he darted from the steps to the glass doors, opening them as quickly as he could before shutting them quietly. He bypassed the pool and heard straight for the grass.

He smiled at his own cleverness as the sun hit his skin, instantly warming it. He looked up into the sky, guarding his eyes from the sun with his hand as a bird flew over. This was much better than the window. He skipped over to Jake, the dog panting happily at the sight of the boy.

Jake jumped up and ran over to Echo, barking once and pouncing around to show the boy he wanted to play.

"Wanna play fetch? Huh?" Echo teased playfully. He reached down for a ball, only then realizing he was still in the onesie with a shirt over it. He shrugged his shoulders, not really caring. Not like he had shoes on either. He threw the ball hard as he could, Jake chasing after it happily as it landed about fifteen yards away.

Jake brought it back, dropping it at Echo's bear feet in anticipation of another round. Echo happily complied, throwing it several times while letting the grass push up through his toes. Late summer was always the time with the softest grass. Well, when you watered it.

Kace was inside the house sitting at his desk after cleaning up from lunch. Leo was sitting in a box on the man's desk, the only way to keep the can off the laptops's keyboard. A trick he had found on the Internet.

He always had the option to work from home, most of what he did was data entry, but had never had a reason for it before now. He liked being home and being needed, keeping an ear out in case Echo called for him. After an hour of work, Kace stood up and cracked his knuckles, stretching before going to see if Echo still wanted to go outside. When he looked out his office window, though, he got a little surprise.

Echo stood in the middle of the yard with nothing more than his onesie and a t shirt on as he played with Jake. It would have been a cute seen had Kace not told him that he wasn't to go out side alone.

Kace darted out of the office and towards the back doors, swinging them open as he shouted, "Echo Henry Sumpter!"

Echo dropped dead, the ball he was about to throw dropping out of his hand, Jake snacking it up quickly. He turned his head as the smile he had only seconds earlier faded away. "Kace, I--"

"No." Kace said sternly, cutting him off. "In the house. Now."

Echo did as he was told and scrambled inside, not knowing where to go.

Kace closed the door and turned around to face Echo, his face painted with a stern frown. "I told you not to go outside."

Echo opened his mouth to try and defend himself, but Kace cut him off again.

"I said that I didn't want you anywhere near the pool without someone with you. And you didn't listen." Kace could see the tears coming to the boy's face, but knew better than to let up. "You disobeyed me and you will not be doing it again. Now, I didn't want to do this, but if you're not going to listen, then I have to."

Kace picked Echo up and sat down at one of the kitchen table chairs, putting Echo onto his stomach over the man's knees. Before Echo could react, a firm smack echoed around the room.

The boy heard the sound before he could feel the pain, cold at first, then burning red hot as Kace landed several more smacks over the back of his thighs. Echo cried out and tried to wiggle away, but none of it worked as the last spank hit.

"I'm sorry." Echo cried through sobs. "I'm sowy."

Kace lifted the boy off his stomach and pulled him in for a hug. "You scared me. Please, please don't do it again." The man rubbed the back of Echo's back lightly as he stood up. He took Echo to his room and gave him the tattered blanket before sitting him down on the floor. "I'll be right back, okay. Stay here."

Echo nodded, holding Snuggie close to his face as he watched Kace walk out.


	35. Chapter 35

Kace came back with a sippy cup full of water and handed it to the boy. "Drink this okay. It'll help."

Echo nodded and drank from the cup. His face was still red and damp from tears as he gulped down water. He hadn't realized how thirsty he'd been. Kace has to hold back a laugh at how little Echo looked sitting on the floor in nothing but a onesie with his blanket tight against his body and sipping on the cup. 

When Echo emptied the cup, he sat it down on the floor and stood up, grabbing two of the action figures before sitting back down by the window, avoiding looking at Kace.

The man sighed, noticing that Echo was intentionally avoiding him. "I'm going to start dinner. Please stay in your room unless you need something."

Echo nodded his head lightly, barely visible had Kace not been looking for it.

Kace walked down stairs, missing Echo's presence in his normal seat at the island. He shuffled pots and pans looking for the right one before starting dinner. Mac and cheese would have to do tonight. But, if Kace didn't figure out a way to have Echo cheer up before dinner, he knew the boy wouldn't be eating. 

Before he started boiling water, he walked back up stairs. Echo was still on the floor, but no longer playing with the toys. Instead, he starred out the window up at the sky. The sun hit him through the pains of glass and made him shine brightly.

"Echo," Kace called out. "I was thinking that maybe after dinner and your bath we could watch more of that cartoon you like."

Echo turned around to stair at the man. "Really?" He asked.

Kace gave a small smile. "Yeah."

Echo smiled back. "Yes!"

"A few conditions, however. You have to finish all of your dinner and you have to be good." Kace said, laughing at the boy's reaction.

"Deal!" Echo beamed at the man before getting up and walking with him down stairs. His feet jumped on the steps, the boy lifting them higher than needed and slamming them against the wood. 

Kace just shook his head at the boy's silliness as Echo ran for his seat at the island, feet tucked under him as he leaned on the counter to watch the man cook. It didn't take long before they were both sitting at the island and cowing down on Mac.

Echo looked over at Kace and smiled, food still in his mouth.

"Close your mouth, ya freak." Kace laughed, putting his hand gently under his chin and pushing up.

Echo closed his mouth but kept the smile, spooning another mouthful into his face.

"I let you off easy tonight, but from now on, all meals will be taken in your chair, okay." Kace said, forgetting all about it until now.

Echo sighed and eyed the chair. "Fine."

"Hey, I know it's weird right now, but it'll all be normal eventually." Kace nudged Echo's shoulder. "Nothing were doing is going to hurt you. In fact, it's supposed to do the opposite."

"You mean, like, help me?" Echo asked. 

"Yeah." Kace replied. "Think of it like a reset button. No more worries about adult things. You just get to be you. But, in order for that to happen, you have to trust me."  
"But I do trust you." Echo said, brow crunched in the middle. 

"You do, but there's still a lot to do." Kace nodded.

"Oh." Echo finished the rest of his food in silence and sat it in the sink.

"Come on," Kace said after doing the same. "Bath time." He placed a hand on Echo's back and led him back to his room.

"Does it have to be a bath?" Echo asked, lifting his arms so Kace could pull his shirt off.

"What's wrong with baths?" Kace threw the shirt into the hamper and started helping with Echo's shorts. "You liked the one last night."

Echo shrugged his shoulders. "They make me sleepy. I wanna watch the Justice League."

Kace gave a side smile. "Well, even if you do fall asleep on the couch, I'll bring you up here, okay?" He started the bath water and tasted it before closing the plug and letting it fill up.

"Will you wake me up if I fall asleep?" Echo scratched his arm.

"Do you want me too?" Kace didn't really get where all of this was coming from. He could get wanting to stay up to watch a movie or show, but not wanting to fall asleep?

Echo moaned an I-don't-know and laid down on the floor to let Kace take the diaper off. For once, it wasn't wet. "Just want to watch my show."

"Well, we can aways watch them tomorrow. It's supposed to rain most of the day anyway." Kace threw the diaper into the trash can and helped Echo too his feet.

"Okay." He got into the bath and splashed the water around a bit as Kace worked soap into his hair.

Kace tried to keep the bath short and was rising Echo's hair and helping him out after twenty minutes. The man dried Echo's head first, putting back in the hearing aides before continuing with the towel.

Echo was jumpy, more excited about getting to watch his show than anything else. Kace smiled at himself as the boy wiggled around on the floor. He taped the diaper closed around his waist tightly and helped the boy get dressed.

Once clothed, Echo ran out of the bathroom and back into his own, heading straight for the stairs. Kace followed behind, grabbing the boy's blankie off the bed before walking down the stairs and plopping on the couch. Echo cuddled next to him and Kace turned on the TV and gave the boy his blanket.

Echo smiled up at Kace and tucked the blanket under his head and leaned back onto the larger man's side. The theme song started playing and Echo yawned.

"You sure you're going to make it through this?" He asked.

Echo nodded his head yes, unsure if it was true but not wanting to say otherwise. Halfway through the episode, he could feel his eyes get heavy. He tried jutting himself awake and moving, but his eyes closed against his will.

"You can go asleep, bud." Kace whispered, gently playing with Echo's hair. "It's okay."

"Don't wanna." Echo said, trying, and failing, to swat Kace's hand away. It was making him more tired than he already was.

"Why not?"

Echo let out another sigh and shrugged, "Don't want to."

"Is it because of your bad dreams?" Kace pushed on. The one last night had been pretty bad.

Echo shook his head no. "Dreams aren't real."

"Yeah, but that doesn't make them not feel real." Kace said, concern spreading across his face. "How bout I sleep with you tonight, okay. I won't let any bad dreams find their way to you."

Echo turns his head to look up at Kace. "Promise?"

"I promise. Now, don't keep yourself up if you're tired." Kace looked around for the blanket that was usually tossed over the back of the couch.

"Can we go snuggle now?" Echo asked. 

"We are snuggling bud."

"No, in bed." Echo rubbed his eyes and sat up a bit.

"We can do that, yeah. You sure you don't want to watch anymore of your show?" Kace sat up as well and placed both his feet flat on the floor. 

"I can just watch them in the morning." Echo stood up after Kace, wobbly on his feet with sleep.

Kace lifted him up with ease, Echo surprised at first, then leaning his head onto the man's chest as they made their way back to his room. Echo was asleep the moment his head hit the pillow, Kace tucking him in, making sure the boy was still dry before getting into the bed and pulling the boy close.


	36. Chapter 36

The next morning, Echo woke up with Kace's arms wrapped around him. It was nice to have the man's warmth surrounding him, protecting him. Echo wiggled a bit to pull his arm out from under his stomach and move it to his side, pushing against Kace to fall asleep once more. He waned in and out of sleep until Kace started playing with his hair.

Echo opened one eye, the one not pushed against his other arm, and looked at Kace as he sat with his head propped up by his hands, elbow digging into the mattress.

"Morning," he smiled.

Echo moaned the greeting back and closed his eyes again.

"Come on, it's time to get up." Kace smiled, moving his hand from the boy's back to his side, shaking him lightly. "Let's go get something to eat."

Echo moaned and rolled, a identity rolling to far and to the edge of the bed. His heart skipped as he saw the floor and felt something yank on his side. Kace had a fistful of the boy's footie and pulled him back over the edge, sitting up and pulling Echo in close.

"I'm sorry, I didn't pull the bats up last night!" He said, holding he boy's arms tight.

Echo took a few deep breaths before saying, "Its fine, not like I hit he floor, right?" He gave Kace a small smile. 

Kace let out a relived sigh, happy that Echo wasn't stressing about it too much. In fact, he'd kind of thought the boy would be freaked out and would cling to him. A little sad that he didn't, Kace said, "Glad you're okay."

Kace put his feet on the floor and helped Echo do the same. He poked Echo's butt before the boy could protest and felt it give under the pressure. "Let's get you changed." Kace said, putting a hand on Echo's back and leading him to the table.

Echo blushed, but didn't resist as Kace lifted him into the air easily and place the boy on the cushion. Kace went through the motions quickly, making sure he was clean before strapping a new diaper around his waist and lifting him off the table. He sat the boy down in the middle of the room and helped him out of the footie, finding a pair of shorts and a t shirt for the boy to wear and helping him get dressed.

They went down stairs and Echo sat and watched cartoons and Kace made eggs for breakfast.

Echo would never admit it, but it was fun, being able to watch cartoons and just let someone else take care of all the hard stuff. He was a decent cook, sure, he'd had enough jobs where he had to make food after all, but that didn't mean he liked doing it. And Kace was a much better cook.

He mushed himself between the arm and the back of the couch, picked tight against the soft back with his legs pulled up to his face. Superman flew across screen and he watched as the man and Wonder Woman fought against the Evil Witch from the King Author stories. She was an uncle thing too, and that little boy, always saying, "Mother, I want a castle!" annoyed him. But that didn't make the show any less interesting.

"Time for breakfast." Kace called from the other room.

"Let me just finish this episode! Please!" Echo begged.

Echo could hear the man sigh. "No, now please."

Echo sighed and paused the show, getting up and walking into the kitchen where Kace was finishing plating everything. He turned around wi two plates, one ceramic and one plastic and pointed for Echo to head over to the breakfast table in the alcove of the kitchen. 

Echo took a seat, hoping Kace had forgotten about the chair and would just let him eat like this. He didn't.

"Come on, into your chair please." Kace coaxed the boy, sitting both plates on the table and living the tray for the chair. Echo sighed, but did as he was told and hoped into the chair and let Kace set the tray down.

The mm held up a fork for Echo, a small thick plastic one that was dulled for little kids. Echo was going to complain, but to be honest, he always liked eating with smaller silverware anyway. Fit better in his hands. He cowed down, smiling over at Kace when he realized the man had put ham into the eggs. That was the best way to eat them.

Kace smiled back and shoved a fork full into his mouth. "So, what do you think you want to do today?" He asked, looking out the window at the dark clouds that loomed above. "It'll have to be inside though."

Echo shrugged his shoulders, following the man's gaze. "Can't we just have a lazy day?"

"A what?" Kace asked.

"A lazy day." Echo repeated matter-of-factly. "When Elli and I felt too stressed from school or anything, we'd just stay home and watch TV and play board games."

"Well, it does sound fun, but we can't just watch TV all day." Kace said, thinking of other things. "Board games sound fun, but it'll only be the two of us. Most of them need more people."

Echo shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, I just didn't really want to go out."

Kace nodded his head. "No, it's a good idea. Defiantly. Just trying to figure out what we can do." His mind floated around activities, then he remembers the art kit they'd gotten a week back. "Hey, why don't we do some art stuff. Draw or paint?"

Echo perked up. "Yeah, that sounds fun!"

Kace smiled at him. "Then, our lazy day starts after I finish up cleaning, okay."

"There are rules to lazy day." Echo said seriously. 

"Really? Like what?" Kace liked the way Echo had already grasped the voice of someone half his age. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he could sense that Echo was liking being babied.

"Like, like..." Echo had to think for a second. "Ah! Like we have to order pizza for dinner. That's what Elli and I always did. Oh! And we each get to pick an episode of something or a station to watch each for an equal time. And we have to stay in out PJ's!"

Kace laughed. "So, pizza, TV, and PJ's. How about we just wear what we want and you can watch what ever you like. And pizza is a definite yes."

Echo smiled. "Deal."

They finished breakfast quickly and Echo waited as Kace cleaned up, both because he liked watching the man and because he really didn't have anywhere else to go. He was still on the high chair until Kace finished and lifted him out, setting him on the floor. Echo let out as giggle and the man tickled him and ran up stairs, Kace following him.

"What are you doing?" Kace asked when he finally caught up with the boy in his room.

"You said I could wear what I want, right?" Echo asked.

"Well, yeah. But why do you want to wear?" Kace watched as Echo smiled shyly and ran over to his dresser, opening one of the taller drawers and having to stand on his tippy toes to reach in. The man walked over to see what was inside just as Echo was pulling out a pair of PJ's. It was the pair that was covered with the superman shield that Kace and surprised him with.

"You wanna wear this?" Kace asked. Echo nodded his head and started to take off his shirt. Kace helped get him out of his shirt and shorts, setting the, on top of the dresser before holding the pants out for Echo to step into and buttoning up his shirt. The man smiled, hugging the boy closely. Echo just looked so cute!  
Echo giggled, pushing back from Kace lightly, secretly liking the attention. When he finally was released, he ran back for the stairs, Kace on his tail the whole way.

The pair flopped don on the couch and Lace pulled up Netflix, knowing already what they boy wanted to watch. Echo cuddled up to Kace, laying his head on the man's side and chewing lightly and unconsciously on his blankie. Kace smiled at the seen, thinking, well, that explains why it's all torn up on the sides. Maybe tomorrow we could get a stuffed animal for him or something. Build-A-Bear would be fun. He saved the thought of later and leaned in close to Echo, playing with the boy's hair.

They watched two episodes before Kace said it was time to do something else. He pulled out the art kit and some of the things he'd put aside from his previous little and rolled up Echo's sleeves. The boy watched as Kace pushed the fabric past his elbows before placing a smock over the boy's head, tying a knot in the part around his neck so it would sit on the boy right before tying it in the back.

"I look like a real painter!" Echo laughed.

"Ah! Zat would be becauze we are zee fabulous painters from zee steetz of Parii! Now, what shall we do fist, master painter?" Kace asked, gripping a strong French acent as he spoke.

Echo giggled. "I don't know. Let's just see where the color takes us!" He gripped a brush tightly in his left and and spun it in the water, drying it off before dipping it in acrylic paint and running a large line across the top. He smiled over at Kace, a bit of a feet due to the large canvas that sat on the well papered table on an easel that made it almost taller than him.

Kace smiled reassuringly back at him, starting his own work. He really had no idea what paint, so he just stuck with what he knew and did the ocean in a way he still remembered from elementary school.

Echo finished his sky and started on the ground, deciding to do a forest of red woods. He didn't like doing it in silence though. If he wanted that, he could have just taken out his hearing aides. "Can we play music?"

Kace looked up from his painting. "Huh? Oh, yeah, we can do that. Pandora okay?" He pulled his phone out of his pocket and touched the app.

Echo nodded. "Yeah, Owl City, please?"

Kace laughed, already having tapped the station. "You got it." Music started playing and they lightly bobbed their heads as they continued.


	37. Chapter 37

Echo's painting still didn't look right to him after an hour or so of work, and Kace happily watched the boy work away, completely engulfed with his work. Echo looked up fora second, noticing Kace starring. His brow tight end in curiousness as to why the man was watching him and he held an arm up to make sure he couldn't see. Not until it was finished.

"Don't worry, I'm not looking. I'm going to finish mine, okay." Kace said, picking up his already cleaned and dried brush and pretending to run it across the canvas.

Echo nodded his head in an approving way and went back to work. He didn't look up again for a long time, finally figuring out what was missing and adding in finishing touches. It was only when he could hear the pitter-patter of rain on the window that he looked up, face turned towards the glass where he could see the angry clouds.

Kace watched with him before realizing that Echo wasn't really starring at anything anymore, trapped in his own world. He sighed and sat down his brush that he forgot to set back down after tricking Echo into thinking he was still working and wiped his hands on a paper towel, ready to take Echo up stairs.

"Hey bud, come on." Kace said, placing a hand lightly on Echo's shoulder.

Echo's head rushed back to the real world when he felt the gentle weight of Kace's hand and he turned his head to looks at the man. "Huh?"

"Let's go get you changed." Kace said lightly, pulling Echo off his stool and onto the floor.

It was only with the movement that he realized that his padding was soaked. How did Kace know before he did? Echo walked awkwardly up the stairs and into his room where Kace sat him on the changing table and went through the presses quickly.

Echo yawned, the murky whether making him sleepy along with the effort it took to paint. He pushed for Kace to watch a few more episodes of his show, which Kace agreed to under the understanding that Echo was to eat two whole slices of pizza tonight.

Echo promised and balled up tight onto Kace again, fading out halfway through the second episode. A nap would do the boy good, so Kace grabbed a blanket and tossed it over the boy, tucking it under his chin. He turned on something else to watch, but ended up falling asleep himself, waking up when he heard a door close.

Kace was alert in seconds, placing a hand on Echo and the other on a pocket knife that he always carried in his jeans, ready for whoever had opened the door. He heart beat quickened and adrenaline pumped through with his blood.

"Hey guys." Elliott said when he came to the living room and saw them both on the couch.

"Elliott, dude, don't freak me out like that!" Kace hardly whispered. He took a deep breath to get his heart back where it should be.

"Oh, sorry man. Didn't mean to freak you out. We can't practice with a thunderstorm rolling in. Figured I'd come home and work out." Elliott sat his keys on their usual hook on the living room and walked over to the couch more. "Wow, he's really out."

"Huh? Oh, yeah. We are having a lazy day. He just feel asleep." Kace felt awkward about still having his arm around the boy around Elliott, but didn't want to move it.

"No, I mean he's totally out. See his face?" Elliott pointed to his face as it mushed up against Kace's side. "When he sleeps, it's normally really tight, his eyes kind of forced closed. I haven't seen him sleep like that since we were four."

Kace looked over at the boy. He'd never really noticed. Huh...

"Anyway, I'll get out of your all's way. Have fun." Elliott waved with one hand and headed up the back stairs, grabbing something from the kitchen before starting his workout.

Kace watched him leave before making his way out from under Echo, earning a groan from the boy, but he didn't wake. Kace made his way to the kitchen, pulling out a cup and a sippy cup from the cabinet next to the sink before filling them both and returning to the living room. He didn't want Echo to sleep too long for fear that the boy wouldn't sleep tonight, but he looked so cute on the couch all balled up.

The rain started to hit harder against the windows, echoing around the large room. Kace looked out the window just in time to see a streak of light flash across the sky, a large boom following.

"Quite a storm." Kace said to himself. "Probably a good thing Elliott came home early. Not safe to be out there with the sky like that."

Another ray of light shot down from the sky, the noise louder than before. Kace looked over as a small cry was let out by the boy on the couch, his eyes pinched closed. Echo let out another cry as the thunder boomed, sending shivers down his spine.

He kept his eyes closed tightly even though he was wide awake as Kace wrapped an arm around the boy.

"It's okay, bud. It's only noise." Kace ran a hand up and down the boy's back as his eyes peeked up.

"But it's loud and I don't like it." Echo cried, covering his face back up.

Kace sighed and sat with the boy as he tensed at each new crack as it spead across the sky and bounced around the room. That was when he remembred something. Duh He thought to himself. He pulled Echo's head up lightly whispering, "Just trust me, okay?"

At this point, Echo was ready to turst himself to any creep on the road if it meant the sound would stop. He let Kace pull his hands away from his ears and could tell what he was doing.

Kace turned the hearing aides off before taking them out of Echo's ears, setting each one carefully on the coffee table. He pulled the shaking boy into his lap, holding him tightly as the storm raged on. Echo just let it happen, too scared to care what was going on. The sound was mostly gone, but he could feel the vibrations and see the light through his closed lids.

Getting another idea, Kace stood up with Echo, who at this point was nothing more than a ball of tense muscles and carried him into the office, grabbing a pair of head phones off the desk and setting Echo in an office chair. The boy cried out to not be put down, opening his eyes as Kace put the head phones over his ears and plugged them into his phone. Kace turned on the Owl City station and handed his phone to Echo, letting him hold it.

Echo looked as Kace signed, Does this help? 

Echo nodded his head, barely able to hear as a song came on, but unable to hear anything outside of that. He held out his arms as Kace picked him back up and walked back to the living room. 

To be honest, Echo really couldn't hear the music as notes were played, but he could feel the vibrations as the headphones buzzed around his ears. He liked it, and was easily able to forget about the storm as Kace sat him on his feet in the living room and asked, What would you like to do? 

Echo shrugged. He'd rather just sit on the couch and lean against Kace more, but he knew Kace would rather he do something besides sit around all day. Can we play a video game? Or with the superheros? 

Yeah, we could do a video game. Minecraft or something? He switched the TV over to input and turned on the xBox, grabbing the controllers and flitting through games til he foung the right one.

Minecraft! Echo cheered, sitting down on Kace's lap and wiggling until he found a comfy spot as Kace pulled up their old world.

Kace laughed at the boy and started back where he had left off several days earlier, screen peaking at Echo's creation every now and then just to see what he was doing. Atthe moment, he was adding onto his large cobblestone tower and branching out to other ones, laid out in a pattern Kace didn't recognize.

They played for a while, Echo oblivious to the world with his headphones covering his ears until Kace pulled him off his lap and got up. 

I got to order pizza, bud. Kace said to the boy's pouting face. Lazy day requirements, right? 

Echo sighed. He was right, but that didn't mean he had to get up! The boy never could understand how Kace was always so warm. He went back to his game as Kace walked off into the kitchen, needing to use the landline due to Echo still listening to his phone.

He lifted the phone off it's dock and started punching in numbers as steps came down the back stairs. After living with the man for so long, Kace had come to recognize Elliott's odd way of trotting down the steps.

"Where's Echo?" He asked, slightly out of breath and drenched in sweat that socked his blue shirt with his team's logo across it.

"He's in the living room playing a game? Why? What's up?" Kace asked, his face twisting into concern.

"He's terified of thunderstorms." Elliott said, wide eyed. "I didn't even think of it until after I pulled my ear phones out. He gets so scared he can hardly move."

"He's fine." Kace smiled, relaxing a bit. "I took out his hearing aide and he's jamming out to some music through a pair of noise canceling head phones."

"Wo--What?" Now it was Elliott who was confused.

"Should I not have done that?" Kace asked, once again concerned.

"No." Elliott's hands flew back and forth in a speeded up Jazz-Hands way. "No, no, no, no. I mean, like, did that work?"

"Well, you can go look for yourself, but he seemed okay when I walked out a minute ago." Kace pointed into the living room, tapping the last few numbers for the pizza place intothe phone, but waiting to hit the call button.

Elliott's face pinched at the brow as he twisted his head and took a few steps toward the living room until he could see his twin's head covered in light blond curls and a block guy moving on the bottom half of the screen. The headphones pushed down some of the curls and made them pop up in other directions.

"He's... Fine." Elliott looked releaved and wiped his brow of sweat that was beeding. "I can't believed that worked. And you have noise canceling headphones on him, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"We tried that before. He couldn't stand it because he couldn't hear what was going on around him." Elliott chuckled at himself. "For as much as he didn't wear his hearing aides, he really hated silence. He always wanted on his terms."

"Well, it's not like he doesn't have any sound. I have music play for him, so the vibrations couldn't be felt so much." Kace shrugged his shoulders. 

"Music? Why didn't I ever think of that?" Elliott sat down on a stool that was tucked under the island.

"Hey, i'm sure you would have. You're a great brother." Kace sat the phone down and placed a hand of Elliott's shoulder.

"I know, it's just.. Arugh." Elliott put his face into his hands, a move Kace was starting to notice both twins did when they were frustrated. "I just feel like whatever I do, it's not enough."

"Elliott," Kace said with a soft tone. "Echo's your brother, not your son. You've looked out for him long enough and did the best you could with what you had. He's only where he is now because he had you to get him this far."

"I know, I know." Elliott sighed, lifting his head up. "But I always feel like, when I look back on stuff, that there's more I should have done."

"Everyone gets that, and if you think otherwise, you're fooling your self." Kace leaned against the island, close to Elliott. "It's not your job to worry about Echo anymore, okay? You asked me to watch after him, and I intend to do that as best I can."

Elliott let out a sigh and stood up. "You're a good friend, man." He peeked into the living room once more. "He seems a lot happier when he;s around you, you know?"

"Huh?" Kace asked.

"He does. A lot more like the brother I used to have before all the stuff that screwed us over happened." Elliott smiled over at Kace. "I guess it's already working."

Kace smiled back, accepting the compliment. "I want the same thing that you do for him."

Elliott nodded. "Yeah, good. Good. Hey, He likes sausage."

Kace was confused for a second before Elliott pointed at the phone. "Oh! Thanks. Do you want any?"

"Nah, this is your all's lazy day. Enjoy it." With that he headed back up the stairs to take a shower.


	38. Chapter 38

Kace ordered the pizza and sat back down with Echo until the bell rang and he got up to answer it. He tipped the delivery boy well for coming out in the rain and closed the door, walking the boxes into the kitchen and setting them on the counter. He plated two pieces for Echo, cutting it up into small bite size pieces and calling for him before realizing the boy couldn't hear him.

He checked the window to see how far off the storm was. The thunder had let up a few minutes earlier, but Kace didn't know how loud was too much for the boy, so he waited until now to take them off.

Its time to eat, bud. Kace sighed, taking the headphones off of Echo's ears gently.

Echo nodded, setting down his controller and letting Kace put his hearing aides back in and turn them on.

"You okay?" Kace asked softly.

Echo smiled and nodded. "Yeah."

"Then let's get something to eat!" Kace picked the boy up, more out of habit than need and placed him in his chair.

Echo didn't mind the seat so much anymore, and thought it was weird that he's gotten used to it so quickly. It all just seemed like normal now, and Kace was a part of that. He didn't really mind when he noticed the man had cut up his pizza into small bites, and picked at them with his hands. 

"This is good." He smiled at Kace.

"I'm glad you like it." Kace smiled back.

They ate mostly in silence before Kace asked what he was making and Echo went on a half hour explanation of everything that he was building. Kace sat and listened happily, reminding the boy to eat every now and then until his plate was empty. He continued talking even after Kace had picked up his plate and sat it in the sink.

"Sounds like you have some big plans." Kace smiled, lifting the tray from the boy's chair.

Echo nodded his head, "Yup! And It's going to be huge when it's finished!"

"Well, we may have to play again tomorrow, because I don't think you'll be finishing it tonight." Kace picked Echo up and tickled his belly playfully, getting a laugh from the boy.

"Oh, come on. Just a little while longer?" Echo tried puppy-dog eyes as best he could, gaining a laugh from Kace.

"There's always tomorrow, baby boy. Right now, it's time for a bath because bed time will be soon." Kace carried the boy toward the back stairs, grabbing the boy's blankie from the couch as he let out a moan. "No, no, no, None of that. Come on."

Echo laid his head on Kace's shoulder and let the man carry his into the bathroom, setting him down on the floor and helping him get undressed. Wiggling out of his shorts on his own, the boy sat down on the floor and laid back for Kace to pull off the wet diaper. He couldn't remember when it had happened, but he hadn't wanted to tell Kace he was wet until after dinner.

Kace sighed, more at himself than anyone else, after noticing the patter from the front of the diaper was faded, indicating it'd been used. He thought he'd finally been able to tell when Echo had an accident, but he must have missed this one. He pulled the diaper off and threw it into the trash can, lifting Echo into the bathtub that had been going.

Echo's thin body did little to the water level, so Kace let it fill up the rest of the way before starting to work soap into the boy's curly hair. 

The bath was quick, Kace wanting to make sure Echo got to sleep on his own tonight. He lifted the boy out of the tub and toweled his off before going into his room and grabbing a fresh pair of PJ's and helping Echo into them.

It was a footie with a bear on the front and the feet becoming little paws with grips on the bottom. Kace smiled at Echo, saying, "You look super cute."

Echo blushed, but smiled. He liked when Kace thought he was cute.

Kace led the boy into his room, picking him up and setting him in his bed. "Want a story or something to help you sleep?" He asked, and was surprised when Echo nodded his head, scooting to the side to let Kace sit down after he grabbed a book from off the dresser.

"Does this look good?" Kace asked, holding up a hardback book of Author. 

Echo smiled and nodded his head. "He used to be my favorite."

Kace looked at the cover of the book, making a mental note of the weird bear shaped creature with glasses and his bunny best friend. He sat down on the edge of then bed and Echo crawled into his lap, eyes looking at the pages as Kace went through the story.

It was mostly about the things the main character, Author, was afraid of. It was mostly stuff that everyone was afraid of at one time--The dark, storms, loud dogs-- and each time Echo would nod his head in silent agreement with the fictional character.

"You know what, I have an idea." Kace said when the finished the book. Echo's green eyes looked up into Kace's blue ones. "Why don't we write down all our fears. We can put them in a jar or something, and tomorrow, we can bury it in the yard."

"Why would we do that?" Echo asked, interest peeked.

"So that we can say 'no more fear', because all our fears would be in the back yard." Kace smiled. "I'll be right back, okay."

Echo watched as the man walked out of the room and came back a moment later with a mason jar and a pad of paper.

"Now, all we have to do is write them all down. Here, I'll start." Kace scribbled something down on the paper and said, "I hate clowns."

Echo smiled as Kace folded the paper up and stuck it in the jar. "Clowns?"

"Yeah, those guys at the fair with their faces all painted. Have creeped me out since I was little." Kace nodded. "Now you."

Echo shrugged his shoulders, unable to think of anything at the moment.

"Okay, well, how about thunder?" Kace nodded and wrote it down and balled up the paper, throwing it into the jar.

"Yeah, and the dark. Lots of things could happen and we'd never see it." Echo said, block gone.

"Alright, yeah." Kace wrote it down. "And, I'll do airplanes."

"You're scared of airplanes?" Echo asked.

"I prefer my feet on the ground where they belong. Anytime I have to fly with the team, I have to take sleeping pills so I don't freak out." Kace nodded.

"Oh." Echo said. "Hospitals."

"Hospitals?"

"People die there. All the machines and pointy things and blood. Yuck!" Echo shook his head, trying to get the thoughts out that way. "I hate it all."

Kace nodded his head and added it to the jar.

It continued like that for a while, Kace and Echo exchanging fears until the jar was full and Kace screwed the lid on tight.

"Now, all our fears are locked in here, okay. So they can't bother us anymore." Kace shook the jar for good measure.

Echo nodded and smiled. "Then we can be superheros!" His hand shoot into the air gaining a laugh from Kace as he stood up and sat the jar on the boy's dresser.

"Yeah, yeah we can." He looked, just looked at Echo for a second, seeing more and more of the little he knew was in there. "Now, all our fears are gone and we have to get to sleep."

Echo leaned back onto his pillow as Kace lifted his Superman blanket up to his chin and tucked him in. For good measure, he kissed Echo's forehead.

Echo's eyes were already closed, the day wearing down on him when he felt the pressure on his head. He opened his eyes just a crack, smiling lightly before he closed his eyes once more and drifting off, blankie clutched under his arm.

Kace lifted the bars and set them in place, wish a good night's sleep for his boy before heading out into the hall. He closed the door lightly and headed for the stairs, only to find Elliott sitting on them.

"Oh, hey man." Elliott said with a smile as he stood up.

"Hey, what's up?" Kace asked. Elliott wasn't really one to just sit around and think, so finding him on the stairs was odd.

"Oh, I was just waiting for you." He dusted himself, then looked up at Kace.

"Really? What for?"

"I was just thinking, you know. The pool house is a bit far for you to keep your eyes on Echo, and I understand totally if you just want your own space. But, if you wanted one of the rooms in the house, feel welcome to it." Elliott said with a smile.

"Really?" Kace asked, He really hadn't even thought about it.

"Yeah, well, if you want to." Elliott said.

"Uh, Thanks man." Kace smiled.

"I should be the thankful one. For what you're doing for Echo." Elliott pointed absentmindedly at the boy's door.

"Still, man. Thanks." 

Elliott shrugged his shoulders. "Well, anyway, I've got to get to bed. See you later."

"Yeah, 'night." Kace waved as Elliott walked past him and down the hall, turning for his room.


	39. Chapter 39

The next day, Kace woke Echo up and let him play Minecraft as he started moving some of the things from his room into the upstairs. I was no easy task, Kace having no idea of how much stuff he had collected over the time he'd been here. All of the stuff that he'd saved from his time with Will that seemed so important before was easy to throw out. And all of his personal items found a place on a self or in a box in his new room across from Echo's.

Echo was excited too when he saw what was going on. Having Kace sleeping in the house wasn't as nice as having him in the same bed, but it was better than thinking he was sleeping somewhere further away. The pool house was a lot further than across the hall.

Kace was pulling in the dog bed to bring it up the back steps when the phone started to ring. He let the bed fall to the floor and he pulled his phone out of his pocket and answered it.

"Kace!" A girl squeal on the other line. "This is Gracie."

"Oh, Gracie! Hey, what's up?" Kace asked, leaning against the counter for a second.

"Oh, Nothing much, was just wondering if Elliott was there?" She asked, a smile in her voice.

"Uh, not right now. Is something up?" Kace couldn't stop the tone of concern that slipped it's way into his voice.

"No, nothing's wrong or anything like that. But, I was just wondering if you knew if he had any plans tonight." She asked lightly.

"No, I don't think so. He hasn't told me anything anyway." Kace said honestly. Elliott did usually tell him when he had plans, but sometimes he'd forget.

"That's great. That's all I needed to know! Thanks!" She was about to hang up the phone when Kace stopped her.

"What's this all about?"

"Oh, I just wanted to surprise him tonight. Go somewhere fun or something. It's his anniversary for making the team. Two years now." Gracie said happily. "But I've got to go, so I'll talk to you guys later."

"Yeah, you two have fun." Kace said before saying good bye and hanging up. He couldn't believe it'd already been two years since Elliott made the NFL team. He took in a deep breath and shrugged his shoulders before pulling the dog bed up the rest of the way to his room.

Jake trotted in happily and took a seat in his new spot, panting lightly. Kace smiled at him and rubbed his head before walking back down stairs to finish putting everything in it's new place.

It took most of the rest of the afternoon to put everything away, having to stop to make sure Echo was dry and change him, then make lunch and make sure Echo ate all of it before letting him go back to his game as he finished up. He'd rather the boy not play video games all day, but it kept him from getting into trouble and happy, and that's what mattered right now.

When everything was put away, Kace plopped down on the couch, sending Echo into the air for a split second. The boy laughed before crawling over to Kace and showing him everything he had done.

Kace had to admit, it was quite impressive. "This is really neat, bud." He said, tostling the boy's hair.

Echo beamed with accomplishment up at Kace and laughed.

"It's time to put the game down for a little while, okay." Kace said softly, hoping Echo wouldn't throw a fit.

"Okay," Echo said, setting the controller on the coffee table while still leaning on Kace. "Can we do something now?"

Kace was a little surprised Echo just sat it down like that. "Yeah, actually, I have somewhere fun for us to go if you're up for it."

Echo's eyes went big. "Really?"

"Yeah, come on." Kace lifted Echo off the couch, getting a happy squeal from the boy as they walked out to the car. He sat Echo in the back set, helping strap him in before returning to the front of the car and getting in.

The took off for a strip mall a while off, Echo gleefully guessing where they were going.

"Are we goin to the store?" The boy asked.

"Not quite. Not like a grocery store." Kace said, wanting to answer honestly without giving it away.

Echo thought for a second. "Are we going to buy something?"

"That's usually what you do at a store." Kace chuckled, turning the SUV onto a different road.

"Is it going to be fun?"

"Well, I think you'll like it." Kace's smiled at the boy in the rearview mirror.

"Humm." Echo said, crossing his arms in thought as he stared out the window. The rain from the previous day had washed the world clean and the sun reflected off of water puddles on the side of the road. He's all but forgotten they were actually driving toward a destination when Kace turned the car into a strip mall and parked.

Echo's head spun around, looking for store names that shines brightly about the buildings. One said it was a cant store, and the other looked like a vitamin place, and a restaurant took the corner.

"Any idea's?" Kace asked with a smiled as he helped the boy out of the car.

Echo shook his head and jumped lightly from the car, keeping hold of Kace as they walked towards the sidewalk.

"Well, I promise it'll be really fun. You ready?" Kace opened a door and pushed Echo lightly inside.

Echo's eyes were wide open as he scanned the walls full of stuffed animals of different colors and sizes. Several were already dressed and set up to show off outfits and animals, featuring new items. A big floor painting read Build-A-Bear and Echo nearly jumped up and down in excitement.

Kace smiled, placing a hand on the boy to keep him calm enough to manage. "So, cool yet?"

"Yesyesyesyes--oh my god! Yes!" Echo beamed up. "Do I get to make one?"

"Well, it'd be cruel to bring you here and not let you make something." Kace laughed. "Go pick something out."

Echo smiled and ran to the wall of animals, scanning them over.

A woman wearing an apron with brown hair pulled back in a pony tail and a kind smile walked up to Kace. "Hello, welcome. Is there anything I can help you with?" She asked sweetly.

"Oh, uh, I'm not sure. Haven't been here in a while but I thought he," He pointed towards Echo. "Might like it."

"Well, he does seem to be having fun." The lady smiled. "Have you all been here before? If not, I can walk you through the presses."

"Well, to be honest, I've only ever seen commercials, but I think I get the idea." He glanced around the place, surprised at how big it was.

"That's great!" She smiled and walked over to Echo as he dug into one of the wooden crates of animals. "You finding anything?"

Echo nodded as he pulled a bear from the pile, holding it up with an a accomplished smile. "Yup!"

"Is that the one you want?" She asked, glancing over to Kace for approval. 

Kace nodded his head, okaying the animal and watching as she smiled at Echo and led him over to a large machine with white stuffing floating around inside it. Kace stood behind Echo, watching as the lady went through a weird proses he assumed was part of what she had to do.

"Now, pick a heart from that shelf and rub it on your nose." The lady said after stuffing the bear and Echo saying it was good.

Echo pulled a plaid one and touched it to his nose as the lady said, "That way, he always knows what you're feeling. And rub it on your heart so it will always be close. Good job, now rub it on your knee so he always knows what you need most."

Echo smiled each time, having lots of fun. 

"And rub it on your ear so he's a good listener. And there we are! Now, pop him in here." She held the back of the bear open as Echo pushed the small hear into the stuffing. 

"Would you like to add a sent?" She skied, pointing to a line of bear head shaped smells. Echo pulled a strawberry sented one and handed it to the lady. The lady smiled And pull the smell in, pulling the strings tight, tying them before handing Echo his bear.

Echo smiled brightly and hugged it close. Kace rustled the boy's hair as the lady got up and smiled at the two. "If you'd like to pick out an outfit, they're over there on the wall." She smiled once more and went back to the counter.

"Can I?" Echo asked hopefully.

Kace thought for a second before saying, "Yeah, why not. Go ahead."

Echo cheered and ran to the wall, looking at scan set of clothes before picking a Superman suit and holding it up. Kace nodded and Echo made quick work of dressing the bear, then walked over to the computer.

Kace filled out all the information and let Echo name it.

"Clark!" He smiled, hugging the bear tight. "Just like Superman!"

Kace smiled, shaking his head as he typed in the name and hit enter.

The sheet printed off behind the counter and the lady held it up for them to see. When Kace said everything was good, she rug them up and let the man pay.  
"You and your son have a good day." She smiled as they walked out.

Kace was about to correct her when he realized it didn't really matter. And it's not like Echo cared, he was too involved with his new bear. Instead, he just smiled and waved then walked back to the car, his hand on Echo's shoulder to keep him from running into traffic.

When Kace looked in the rearview mirror to check that Echo was still strapped in, the boy was cuddled up to the bear, taking in its strawberry sent with every breath. Kace chuckled at himself, throwing the car into reverse and backing out of the spot slowly.

The ride home was filled with music as Kace turned the radio over and let the station play song after song, both of them singing tat the top of their voices and laughing when they couldn't reach certain notes.

Kace pulled the car into the garage and helped Echo out, leading him into the house. Jake barked and came running towards them, happy that they were once again home. Kace gave the dog a few pats on the head, watching as Echo did the same before walking into the living room. 

He sat his bear on the couch, saying, "Stay there, I'll be right back." Before trotting into the kitchen to grab a snack.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Kace asked as Echo opened the fridge.

"Getting a snack." Echo smiled sheepishly.

"Oh no, not right now. We'll have dinner in a little bit and I don't want you losing your appetite." Kace said, pushing the fridge door closed lightly.

"I promise I'll still be hungry. Please?" Echo begged.

Kace shook his head no. "I'll start dinner right now, okay. No need for a snack."

Echo sulked back into the living room, sitting down on the couch and pulling Clark into his lap. Leo meowed and jumped onto the couch, rubbing against Echo until the boy pet him, then found a spot on the top of the couch's back, purring loudly. Echo happily watched the cat, rubbing his hand down the furball's back.

Leo looked at Echo with his deep blue eyes, noticing a change in the boy. Last time he had looked at he boy like this, he was surrounded in blue. It was a deep sadness that worked its way all around his boy. But now, the boy had lost most of that. The gears that powered his emotions no longer clanked as they rotated, but rolled smoothly around.

When the cat looked, he could still see the sadness effect some part of his mind, but for the most part, the boy looked okay. Leo lost his connection when he turned his head at a new presence in the room. It was the large man with brown hair that his owner seemed so keen on. Instead of trying to get his connection with Echo back, he made one with Kace.

The man seemed realitivly normal, everything working like it should. That was, until the cat listened hard. A steady clank-clank came from the back of the man's mind. A deep place that's only for unconscious thoughts. And something wasn't quite right.

The cat was thrown out of focus as the dog started barking. If cats could roll their eyes, he would have. That dog barked at everything.


	40. Chapter 40

"Hey bud, you ready for dinner?" Kace asked, rustling Echo's hair. Echo looked up and nodded, jumping off the couch and following the man into the kitchen.

Kace lifted the boy into his chair and put the tray into place before setting a plate of cut food in front of him. "Eat up."

Echo did as he was told, happily swinging his feet to and fro as he pushed piece after piece into mouth. Kace did the same, laughing at himself as he noticed Echo letting go more and more, little by little. Here soon, Kace figured, Echo would be completely free.

When dinner was over, Kace started to clean up as they heard a door open and close from the garage. Kace turned his head as Elliott popped out, phone in hand.

"I didn't think you were coming home tonight." Kace half laughed.

"Huh? Oh, yeah." Elliott locked his phone again, shoving it into his pocket. "I was just going to get dressed. Gracie wants to take me somewhere but won't tell me where or why. It's frustrating."

Kace chuckled. "Give your girls some credit. And trust her." 

Elliott's lips were tight in thought as Kace punched him lightly in the shoulder. "Yeah, I guess your right."

Kace nodded an I-Know-I-Am nod and went back to washing dishes. "What were you thinking of wearing?"

Elliott rolled his eyes. "I don't know. Oh! I have some news!"

Now Echo's interest was peeked as he looked over at his twin's body standing in the doorway.

"Really?" Kace asked.

"Yeah, yeah." Elliott smiled when he noticed his brother looking several years younger as he strained his neck to see the two men conversing. "Coach is taking the team to New York to practice with the Giants. Apparently, the guys who own us are good friends with the guys who own the Giants. We're gonna do a scrimmage match and then just hang in New York for a few days."

"Sounds like fun." Kace smiled, happy for his friend.

"Yeah, but you all have to come to. It'd be no fun otherwise. When the match is over, we can go see lady liberty of something. I don't really care. You just have to come." Elliott looked over at his twin, smiling at the boy's excitement. "See, Echo wants to go."

Kace laughed again. "I guess we can come, but..." He leaned a little closer to Elliott so Echo couldn't hear, "I'm not sure if he's completely ready for a public appearance like that."

Elliott thought for a second. "We could just get you a suit at a different hotel then all the guys are staying at and your own booth at the game."

"I guess that could work," Kace said after thinking it over. He shrugged, "Guess it will have to."

Elliott smiled at patted Kace's shoulders. "Alright, now, next order of business. Knowing Gracie, she called you didn't she?"

Kace laughed and nodded his head yes.

"Good. So you know what I should wear?"

"Let's just say something nice and leave it at that." Kace threw the dish towel over his shoulder and turned to finish loading the dish washer.

"Three piece suit it is. Thank you." He patted Kace once more, waved a later to Echo and ran up stairs, running back down several minutes later and dashing out the front door.

Kace laughed as the flapping tail flaps in his jacket as he rushed to Gracie's car. "He's excited."

Echo nodded and smiled, "Well, duh. Special day with his girl!"

Kace shook his head and lifted Echo's thin frame out of the chair and sat him on the floor. "Yes, but you have a date with a bath and then bed."

Echo was going to protest, but decided against it, instead following Kace up stairs and into his room. Kace filled the tub with warm water and stripped the boy down to his diaper, happy that Echo was still dry. Both for the boy and for the shellfish reason of liking that he knew he didn't miss it. He sat Echo into the tub and let him play for a bit before working soap into the boy's hair and lathering his body. Echo closed his eyes, becoming a bit of a limp noodle as Kace massaged his scalp. It felt good.

The water being poured over his face told him it was time to get out and he slowly opened his eyes back up, rubbing them with the back of his hand. Kace smiled at him lightly, lifting the boy out of the water and laying him down on the floor.

He died Echo off quickly, wrapping the boy's parts in a fluffy diaper and then putting on his comfiest PJ's before lifting him up and carrying him to bed.

He was almost asleep when Kace handed him Snuggie and Clark, kissing Echo lightly on the head before lifting up the bars and walking back to his room.

 

Echo woke up, his eyes snapping open and immediately closing due to the bright lights above. It smelled like disinfectant and cheap fabric softener, the kind that really didn't make anything soft. It took him a second to gain his bearings, remember his name and his age and his life, the whole thing hitting him like a simi-truck as he took in a breath. He reached his hand up to his head to rub his eyes, only then noticing a long tube coming from his arm.

The tube was hooked to a needle stuck deep into his arm, and Echo could feel his heart quicken. The smell of bleach hit his nose and his head lifting off the pillow, the white painted walls not helping his heart rate.

Adrenaline pumped through his system as he realized where he was. A hospital, covered in germs where people died, was all he could think. A person could have died in this bed, on these sheets! I don't want to be here, I don't want to be here! 

He struggled against the needle, pulling his arm as hard as he could and only succeeding in pulling the IV bag stand over and having it crash onto the floor. His eyes were closed tight as he thrashed around, hands coming from nowhere to hold him down. He cracked his eyes open to see what was grabbing him only to see someone dressed in a white uniform standing over him and leaning over his chest, telling something at the other person dressed in white.

I hate that color! Was all he could think as something sapped all of his energy away and his eyes closed without his consent.


	41. Chapter 41

Echo could feel things moving around him, a shift of light through his closed eyelids or a small breeze that brushed across his face. He didn't have the energy to open his eyes whenever he shifted back into consciousness, only to fall right back into a dreamless sleep. This seemed to go on for years, drifting around until finally the world refocused.

The lights above him were dim, only a faint light resonating from the bulbs and giving the room a light glow. His head hurt, a lot, but that didn't stop him from scanning the room. 

It was simple and small, a bed with a large window that was covered in curtains. A chair sat off to one side, a figure seemingly curled in on itself as he sat on it.  
Echo let out a small cry when he tried to sit up, a large stabbing pain in his chest sending him back to the bed. The figure in the corner of the room stired, looking over at the boy on the bed. This only scared Echo as the figure stood up and started walking towards him. Echo held up his hands, only causing more pain as the figure reached his bed and put a hand on his arm.

Echo let out a scream and kept his eyes pinched shut in fear as the figure kept a firm but he tail hold on the boy. He could barely hear his name wing called, a sound light and far off. He opened one eye to get a look at his attacker, only to see... Kace?

Echo stopped squirming and looked at the man's brown hair and sleep deprived face, then wrapped his arms around the man. He took in the sent through his pain, the same light smell of Old Spice shampoo and body wash that surrounded the man at all times, even when it was clear he didn't sleep well.

Kace hugged the boy tight before letting go and pushing his chest lightly to tell him to lay back down. Echo did so reluctantly and watched as Kace's hands clumsily tried to sign.

_Does anything hurt?_

Echo shrugged. Everything hurt, but didn't hurt at the same time. _Only when I move._

Kace had a small smile. _That's good. Do you remember what happened?_

Echo shook his head, pain shooting down his spine. He pushed against his head with his hand, feeling a rough bandage that wrapped it all. He started to pull at it, wanting it off, but Kace stopped him.

 _Don't. It's there to help._ Kace sat Echo's hands back in his lap and held them there for a second. Then signed, _Do you remember any of it?_  
Echo sighed no, saving his head with a concerned look across it. _Last thing I remember was you getting Snuggie and Clark for me._

Kace ran a hand through his hair, looking intently as Echo. He sat there like that, not long enough to be uncomfortable, but enough to tell Echo something was wrong. _It's okay, bud. Do you think you could get back to sleep? It's still pretty late._

Echo didn't think he could, not now, but a wave of exhaustion rushed over him and he closed his eyes once more. Kace gently rubbed his arm as the boy fell back asleep. 

When Kace was use Echo was asleep again, he slipped out of the room and into the hall, alerting the nurses that Echo had woken up.

"Is he still?" A nurse with dark brown hair asked.

"Not right now, he was tired so I let him fall back asleep before I came out here."

"Alright. We'll go in and check on him next time he wakes up. Please hit the call button next time."

Kace nodded and waiting a second before he asked his next question. "How's Elliott?"

"We're not out of it yet, but he's doing better." The nurse said, giving Kace a reassuring smile. "It was a pretty big hit to the head he took, but he'll be okay. He has to."  
Kace nodded, sighing before walking back to Echo's room. He took the boy's hand in his, kissing it lightly and rubbing it with his thumb.

"What am I going to do?"


	42. Chapter 42

This time, when Echo woke up, it was to sunlight streaming through the slits in the blinds. He went to rub his eyes, only to feel something holding onto his hand. He lifted his head slowly and  saw Kace's head on the bed, their hands tangled together. Echo tried to work his hand out, failing and waking Kace.

Kace moaned a good morning, Echo unable to hear it but could guess what he was saying. What had happened to his hearing aides? He reached up to see if they were in his ear and just not on, but was disappointed to not find them there. Now he really wanted to know what happened. Kace didn't say anything the night before and his mind was fuzzy outside of the day Elliott had said they were going on a trip.

Kace pushed a button before asking Echo how he was doing.

 _I'm fine. What happened?_ Echo asked as Kace pushed a button to slowly lift the side of the bed his head was on. 

Once Echo was sitting up, Kace replied, _I'll tell you in a second. Right now, there's going to be some doctors that will come in here to ask how you're doing and a few other questions. Do you think you can answer?_

Echo pointed to his ears with some sass on his face in a how-am-I-gonna-do-that way.

Kace sighed, his lips tight in thought. He shrugged. _You can still talk, so do that and I'll translate what they say as best I can._

Echo's brow went tight. _I don't like talking when I can't hear._ he sigh, then crossed his arms.

 _Please don't do this right now, okay. They really are concerned. Just answer the best you can by talking. Please._ Kace placed a hand on Echo's shoulder and sneezed lightly. _Afterwards, I'll explain everything._

Echo sighed, reluctantly nodding yes as the door opened and a man walked in.

"I'm doctor Gump, and I'll be the physician on this case." He said, introducing himself to Kace and shaking the man's hand. "How are you all today?"

"Better." Kace smiled, then looked at Echo.

The doctor smiled and nodded, then looked over at the boy on the bed. "I understand that he woke up over the night."

"Yes, but not for very long. He fell back asleep after a few minutes." Kace answered.

Gump nodded and looked over at Echo once more, taking a closer look as he walked slowly over to him. Kace had warned him about the boy's dislike of hospitals and anything to do with them. He wondered for a second why he wasn't thrashing around like before when he noticed the boy's hands gripping the edges of the blanket firmly, eyes switching between the doctor and the man standing next to him.

"Does he have any lose of memory, felling, or numbness in any of his appendices?" The doctor asked Kace.

"Yes. He doesn't remember what happened since we left for the trip." Kace said, taking ahold of Echo's hand and squeezing it lightly.

Fear sent spikes down Echo's spine as the doctor pulled a word black thing with a cone looking piece on one end and a handle on the other. He held tight to Kace's hand, his knuckles turning white.

"I'm just going to check on a few things and let him get back to rest while I call the right people." 

Kace shook his head and put his free hand over Echo's shoulder, feeling the boy's body tense as the doctor crouched and shoved the tool in his ear. Echo kept that stif form until the doctor was finished and walked out of the room.

"He no do that again." Echo said in his slurred voice. Kace looked down at him, keeping a laugh back. It was the first time he's heard Echo say anything with his voice without his hearing aides on. It made him sound really little.

 _Are you wet?_ Kace asked, already reaching out to pull the blankets back.

Echo scowled like that was the worst thing Kace could have asked. _What are you asking me_ \-- he cut himself off as he realized that he was, in fact, very wet. When had that happened? He tried to shift his butt away from Kace, only moving a fraction on an inch and noticing a large weight wrapped around his leg. When Kace pulled the blankets back, Echo saw past the bloated diaper and to his heavily wrapped leg and foot that grew three sizes.

Kace followed the boy's eyes, then signed, _Yeah, you got hurt pretty bad. You'll be okay, it will just take some time._

 _What happened to me?_ Echo asked despretly. _Tell me. Please._

Kace scanned the boy's face, confusion and pain and fear showing clearly  and with so much intensity it almost hurt to look at. _Let me change you, and then we can talk._

Echo would have preferred an answer now, but he didn't much like sitting in a solid diaper, so he let Kace change him, the man being extra careful and gental as he whipped Echo clean and slid a new diaper underneath his with decorations of cartoon characters.

 _Cartoons?_ Echo asked after noticing them.

 _Smallet thing they had in adults was too big for you so we had to use juniors._ Kace gave a small side smile. _Besides, I thought you might like these more. Look._ He pointed to a small but visible picture of Superman standing in the background.

Echo smiled lightly at the man and let him finish. When he was done, Echo stared at him until Kace sighed and said, _Can it wait until after you get new hearing aides? Signing all of this is going to take a while._

Echo gestured around the room and then towards his thickly wrapped leg. _Not like I'm going anywhere._

Kace sighed in that true-enough way and started signing the story, telling it as best he could and starting at the beginning.

 

The morning after Echo had got his Build-A-Bear, Elliott woke Kace up. Well, more Elliott's light knock on the door in the morning had set Jake off on a barking fit waking Kace, but all the same. Kace threw his feet onto the floor and held a flat fist in the air, fingers towards the dog. This was a sign that he's taught the dog long ago as a way to shut him up. Jake reluctantly obeyed and watched as his owner opened the door.

"Hey man, sorry to wake you so early." Elliott said, a smile across his face.

"What are you so happy about?" Kace asked, rubbing his eyes before noticing he was standing in nothing more than a pair of boxers.

If Elliott noticed, he didn't say anything. "So, I have our rooms booked at a hotel down the street form where the team in staying so we won't be too far away. And, coach okay your suit at the game!"

"Really?" Kace said, suddenly very awake. Echo was going to be ecstatic. 

"Yeah. We have to be there by tonight! Do you thing you can both be ready for a two o'clock take off? That means we'll have to be in the car by twelve at the least." Elliott said warningly. "If we wait too long, we won't be able to get seats together."

"Yeah, I could probably do that." Getting himself ready would be easy, but Echo would be a whole different rodeo. But he still thought he could do it.

"Alright, cool. I have to go meet up with Gracie for a bit, then I'll be back and we can leave." He tapped Kace's doorframe twice and walked off.

"Have fun." Kace said loudly down the hall. He decided to grab a shower and brush his teeth before getting Echo up. It was going to be an eventful day and the boy could use all the sleep he could get.


	43. Chapter 43

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This switches a lot between them at the hospital and Kace telling the story now. It should be realitivly clear, but just wanted to let you know.

When Kace had finished with his shower, he got dressed and walked over to Echo's room. The boy was sprawled out on the bed with the blanket wrapped around his foot. Kace lightly payed with his hair, waking him up slowly.

Echo moaned and looked up at Kace, rolling over to push himself up. Kace lowered the side of the crib and lifted him out before Echo could stand on his own, carrying him over to the changing table. Echo came to like the routine every morning, easy and predictable.

When Echo was clean once more, Kace let him pick out what to wear, already having a pretty good guess of what it would be.

"Superman!" Echo smiled.

Kace rolled his eyes jokingly and walked over to the dresser, pulling one of many shirts out and a white onesie with a pair of jeans.

"Are we going somewhere?" Echo asked, noticing the onesie. He only ever wore them under his clothes when they were going out.

"Yeah, actually. You remember last night when Elli said they were going to New York and he wanted us to come?" Echo nodded his head. "Well, we have to leave soon to get there." Kace held the onesie up and pushed it over Echo's face.

"Are we going on a plane?" Echo asked, concerned.

Kace nodded, trying not to say out loud that, yes, he was going on a plane once again.

"But you don't like planes." Echo said plainly, like it was a fact of life.

"No, I don't." Kace snapped the buttons between Echo's legs, then helped him step into his jeans. "But I'll have you with me, right? So you'll have to be extra good and not throw any fits or have a meltdown in the airport, okay."

Echo saw through Kace's forced smile and hugged him before the man could put on his shirt. "I promise to try my hardest."

Kace hugged him back tightly, hoping that was true. 

When Echo was dressed, Kace helped him pull a suitcase from the closet and filled it with clothes. Echo giggled as Kace would open his dresser pull out a shirt and ask if Echo would like to take it. They would only be in New York for three days, but Kace figured it would be good to take a few extra. Five shirts and four pairs of pants later, Kace was filling the extra space with diapers. He'd have to put some in his bag as well, and the carry on, but the small bag still held most of them.

When Echo was packed, they walked over to Kace's still messy room and filled a suitcase with clothes and the rest of Echo's diaper supply and pulled it out into the hall, setting it next to Echo's.

"Alright, I believe we are almost ready." Kace smiled and rustled the boy's hair. "All we have left is our carry on."

"A what?" Echo asked, confused.

"Have you ever been on a plane before?" Kace asked. Echo shook his head no. "Oh, well, a carry on is the bags we take with us onto the plane. These bags will go in the back and we'll pick them up when we get off the plane."

Echo nodded, then his eyes opened wide and he nearly ripped his bag open, pulling out his tater blanket. "Can we take this on the carry on?"

"In, and yeah, we can do that." Kace smiled and grabbed a black backpack, putting in a few diapers and holding it open for Echo to put his blanket in. Echo smiled brightly.

"How long is it gonna take to get to New York?" He pulled his bag along behind him, heading for the stairs.

"A few hours probably. But it shouldn't take too long, I don't think. You may want to grab something to do on the plane." Kace grabbed Echo's bag and carried it down the stairs. 

Echo trotted behind and walked to the kitchen, taking his spot at the island. Kace left the suit cases and followed Echo. The clock on the stove read 10:32, so they still some time before they had to leave.

"Hey, why don't we go wear Jake out before we leave, that way he'll be worn out for the sitter." Kace asked. It would be good to wear the dog out, but better if he could make Echo sleepy. There was more chance of him throwing a fit or getting cranky, but it was worth it if he wouldn't have the energy to run around the airport.

Echo smiled and nodded, hoping down from the stool and running for the double glass doors, putting all his weight into pulling it open. Kace helped and watched as Echo took off for the large oak tree in the middle of the well kept yard. Jake barked happily, chasing the boy all the way.

Kace only then noticed that Echo didn't have his shoes on, he hadn't thought to check before the boy ran out of the house. He shrugged his shoulders, not really wanting to start anything from it. He ran after Echo who laughed and started for the fence line. 

Kace ran after Echo for nearly an hour until Elliott came home, laughing at the sight of his brother and housemate running after a dog in his back yard. "You guys ready to leave?" He yelled across the yard.

"Yeah!" Kace yelled back, pushing himself off the grass and helping Echo get up before walking back to the house. "Are you still dry?" Kace leaned in and asked Echo.  
Echo shifted his legs a bit, felling the padding between his legs. "Nope." He smiled proudly.

Kace smiled back and rustled his hair, then grabbed the bags that sat by the stairs and loaded the SUV. Echo watched as Elliott did the same a slammed the hatch shut.  
"Let's git'er done, boys." Elliott smile at Echo and walked to the drivers door as Kace hoped in the back. Echo did the same and they were off.

Elliott blasted the radio, which no one really cared about because it was music they all liked. They bobbed their heads and sang along, Kace laughing as the twins twisted their voices, not really carving whether or not they hit the notes right. Kace switched lanes to take the exit for the airport, slowing his speed to the limit and turning the radio down a little. He stopped at a four way that turned into one of the many parking areas and started back once again.

A car horn blared over the music, Elliott's eyes wide as a white van pealed around the corner and headed straight for them.


	44. Chapter 44

Elliott slammed the brakes and veered right, barely avoiding the car as it flew past, horn blaring all the way.

"What the hell was that?" Kace asked from the back seat, arm unconsciously protecting Echo.

"What the fuck!" Elliott yelled at his review mirror. "Dumbass is gonna get someone killed!"

Elliott took a few calming breaths, trying to regain control of his heart beat before he carried on. He turned around to check on his passengers, finding Kace breathing heavily with his arm over Echo and Echo frozen in fear, sitting straight up.

"It's okay, guys. We're alright. I'll tell the officers when we get inside about it. Hopefully they can do something." Elliott gave a half hearted smile before turning around and driving slowly towards a parking garage.

Elliott took a small piece of paper from a machine and drove through a large yellow arm when it was lifted out of the way. He stuck the paper in the windshield before turning the car off and unlocking the doors. 

When Elliott was out of the car and the door slammed shut, Echo whispered, "I don't think I'm dry anymore."

Kace nodded. A scare like that would make someone without control problems wet themselves, so the fact that Echo had was no surprise. "It's okay, we'll get you changed inside."

Echo nodded and followed Kace out of the SUV as Elliott opened the hatch and pulled their bags out, handing the backpack to Kace and throwing his own over his shoulder. "You guys okay?" He asked more to Kace. Echo didn't really look like he wanted to talk.

"We're fine. Just going to have to find a bathroom when we get inside." Kace said, glancing at Echo before handing the boy his suit case and lifting the pulling handle for him.

Elliott nodded and they walked toward the check in counter. "We have three for the 2:10 departure for New York." He said, holding up his tickets for the man at the front to look at.

She smiled and nodded, typing something into her computer as she asked, "Three bags today?"

"Yes ma'am." Elliott gave the most polite smile he could muster.

"Alright, just a second." A few more taps and three long strips popped out from a printer. She pulled them apart and wrapped the stickers around the handles of each suitcase, then saying, "Alright, you boys are all set. Have a good flight!"

"Thanks!" Elliott smiled and walked towards the doors that led to the airport, Kace pushing Echo along beside him. "There will be bathrooms right over there, I'm going to go ahead at start for the security check."

Kace nodded and headed for the bathrooms, adjusting the back pack over his shoulders. There were a few glances in their direction, but no one seemed to out-right stare as they walked through the door and into one of the larger stals.

"Okay, so, we're going to have to do this a little differently this time." Kace said, helping Echo undo his pants. 

Echo nodded and stood still until Kace told him to do otherwise. Over all, it wasn't the worst change. It was weird, sure, but better than doing it on the nasty floor. When Kace was finished, he helped the boy into his shorts once more and walked over to the sink to wash his hands.

Echo didn't really care that Kace helped him, in fact, he kind of liked it. He smiled up at Kace as they walked out and back to the main part of the airport. Due to Echo never being in an airport before in his life, the boy's head turned this way and that, trying to take everything in.

Kace was worried about him crashing into something and grabbed the boy's hand, wrapping his larger hands around the smaller ones. If Echo noticed, he didn't say anything, too entranced by the world to even hear Kace saying his name.

"Echo, bud, you have to take off your hearing aides for this next part." Kace said, still holding the boy's hand.

Echo looked around, only then noticing that they were at the security check, a TSA officer waiting patiently on the other side of the metal detector. Echo shook his head for a second, trying to get his bangs of his eyes as he reached up with his empty hand and pulling out the hearing aide and handing it over to Kace.

kace placed it on a tray and held out his hand for Echo to hand him the other one before setting his keys and some lose change from his pocket onto the tray and throwing the bag on another one. A TSA person pushed the trays through, scanning each one as the owners walked through the giant doorway.

Echo held tight to Kace's hands as they walked through, worried someone was going to see what he was really wearing under his shorts. With none of the sounds from before coming through, Echo was hyper focused on the TSA guy as he dug through the backpack, his face not even shifting slightly as he inspected, then closed the bag and gave it back to Kace.

Kace's squeezed his hand lightly, feeling the boy's nervousness until they got to the other side, following a stream of people towards a small shopping mall like area. Elliott was propped up against one of the walls, engulfed in his phone with his ball cap pulled low and sunglasses covering his normally bright eyes.

He looked up when he saw movement by his side, smiling when he saw Kace and Echo walk up. "Hey guys, everything good?"

"Yeah," Kace smiled. "Just a little nervous about the airport. We'll be okay."

Echo found the floor to be very interesting as Kace started talking.

"Oh, I forgot Echo's never flown before." Elliott smiled. "It's going to be awesome, just wait. Hey Kace, you gonna stay awake for this one?"

Kace was thinking about that himself. If he stayed awake, there was a chance he'd freak out again. But if he feel asleep, there was the chance of Echo freaking out. He sighed, deciding to not think about it now. "How about we get something to eat."

Elliott nodded, dropping the topic and moving on to food. "Yeah, there's some places around here. I think it's either coffee, pizza, or burgers."

"No coffee." Echo said, shaking the head and making a yuck face. "Bean juice is nasty."

"Alright, then what about burgers. We had pizza last night." Kace suggested with a smile.

Echo shrugged, he wasn't really all that hungry.

"Well, let's just find somewhere to sit down for a bit. We still have some time before we have to be ready to board." Elliott said, leading the way through the airport.


	45. Chapter 45

Once agin, Kace's story was interrupted as someone walked into the room. This time, it was a different nurse who was caring two trays followed by the same doctor.  
"Hello, I come baring gifts!" He s,lied and held out two hearing aides. He handed them over to Kace, saying, "His normal doctor told me he should know how to set them up by now, but to have you guys come down later to make sure it's all correct."

"Thanks." Kace smiled, holding them out for Echo to see.

They weren't his blue and red ones with yellow trim anymore, but a Caucasian skin tone that was bleak to say the least. Still, it was better than nothing. He grabbed one from Kace and put it in his ear, hoping it wouldn't be set too far off as he turned it on.

All the sounds from the hospital came in at once, blaring into his head. He yanked the aide out and threw it on the bed, looking despretly towards Kace.

 _They were just on to high, bud. Here, try them now._ Kace fiddled with it and held it back out for Echo, who took it reluctantly.

He placed it back in his ear, wincing as a soft beeping came through. He looked around to find where it was coming from, the movement hurting his head but his curiosity winning. It was the machine next to him, the one with a tube that attacked to his hand. He resisted the urge to yank the needle out and looked back at Kace.

"This will make things a little easier, huh." Kace joked, giving Echo a playful smile.

Echo nodded. He tried to work the other one into his ear, but it was hard with the bandage wrapped around his head. Eventually he just gave up and handed it back to Kace. "The one will be okay."

The doctor nodded, smiling, then leaving with the nurse following.

"Think you could eat something?" Kace lifted the trays off the rolling table and brought them over to the bed. "Smells good."

Echo wasn't really hungry, but ate a few bites of the grilled cheeses, hoping for Kace's approval. He was kind of thirsty, but there really wasn't any water or anything around, so he ate the sandwich dry.

Kace got up halfway into his sandwich, saying, "I'll be right back, okay." He walked to the door and poked his head out, looking for the blue scrubs of a nurse. When he didn't see any right away, he walked out and left the door cracked, walking a few feet when he saw someone. He asked the lady for a favor and started back towards Echo's room.

Had echo known Kace was going to walk out, he would have yelled, told him to stop. But he was already frozen with fear when he lost sight of the man. With Kace in the room, he could forget it was a hospital, forget them smells, the sounds, the feeling of stickiness on his skin from the air. But now, everything hit him with twice the force. 

By the time Kace got back, Echo was about ready to jump out the window. He'd closed his eyes and kept them shut tightly in the fetal position, protecting his head with his arms. It hurt to move, ever muscle protesting being used.

"Echo," Kace said and gently vet forcefully as he could. He wanted to calm the boy, but make sure he wouldn't protest at the same time. "Echo, it's okay. I'm here, see, right here. I'm not going to let anything hurt you. I promise."

Kace ran a hand up and down Echo's back, waiting for his words to register in the boy's head. It took a long time to work Echo out of the fetal position, but when Kace had finally managed to do it, he gave the boy a sippy cup.

Echo eyed it, more wondering where he got it than questioning the object itself.

"I asked a nurse. She said she understood and brought this while you were... Calming down." Kace threaded lightly.

Echo smiled and took the cup, taking a swig happily. He sat it down and looked up at Kace. "So, what happened next?"

 

They found a place close to their terminal that made sandwiches, one that Elliott had said he'd been to before and was pretty good. He kept his hat firmly in place and gave the cashier a fake name, rather go that no one recognizes him.

Elliott got an Italian, Kace got a BLT and a ham and cheeses and a cookie for Echo, hoping he would at least eat something. They sat and picked at their food, all of them too nervous to eat but all for different reasons. Still, they ate enough to get some thing in them before the plane took off.

When they were finished, they packed up the food and walked toward their terminal, checking in with a lady at the counter before taking a seat on one of the rows closer to the door. It wasn't long before they were asking for early boarders. Elliott got up and walked toward the lady, tickets at the ready.

He handed them over and the lady checked before nodding and saying, "You guys have a nice trip."

Elliott nodded a thanks and went through the tunnel. Kace was holding tightly to Echo's hand, causing him to let out a squeal of pain.

"I'm sorry." Kace apologized, letting Echo's hand go.

Echo started oddly at the man and they claimed seats. Kace let him have the window and Elliott grabbed a seat right behind them. The sight outside the window was amazing, even though they weren't in the air. He could see the tar mat bellow and a plane taking off in the diastase.

"Kace, this is so cool." He said, face a painted smile with his eyes glued to the window.

Kace was working on putting his seatbelt on and looked up to see everything he'd rather not see. Echo turned around to point something out, only to have his smile fall.

The boy had completely forgotten about Kace's fear of flying. He grabbed one of Kace's hands, saying, "I'm sorry. I'll close the blind if you want."

Kace shook his head no before he knew what he was doing. "No, don't do that. You're having fun." Kace forced a smile, clumsily pulling on the belt across his lap to make sure it was tight.

"But you don't like it." Echo said, eyes twisted in concern. He reached up, ready to pull a thin sheet of plastic down across the window.

Kace reached up to stop him, taking Echo's hand in his. "It's okay. Have fun, don't worry about me." He smiled at Echo once more, this time honestly. "I'm going to be okay so long as you're happy."

Echo smiled back, and looked back out the window.

When the lady had finished going through all the daft mesures and showing where all the exits were, the plane started taxi in down the runway. Echo was having too much fun to notices Kace grabbed his arm in one hand and the arm of the seat in the other. He kept his eyes shut the whole way even after he felt the plane lifting off the ground and into the air.

It was only when Echo said, "WOW!" Loudly that Kacecracked his eyes open to see what the boy was talking about.

Right outside the window was nothing but clouds. They had already gone far enough up to not see the ground, but instead vibrant puffs of color. You would think clouds were white on top, just like they were when you looked up from the ground, but they weren't. They were red flames dancing across the sky with blue and purple lighting the way. It looked like the whole thing was the surface of the sun.

Kace forgot his fear at the sight of such beauty. "Wow is right."

Echo turned around at the man's voice and smiled. "No wonder Superman flys so high." He laughed.

Kace nodded his head and released his grip on the arms of the chair.

The rest of the plane ride went on without a hitch, Kace's idea to have Echo run around before hand now working as the boy settled in against the warm body next to him, his blankie tucked under his arm. He watched the sky until his eyes couldn't watch it anymore and silently shut. The blanket was still wedged between his teeth from absentmindedly chewing on it earlier and Kace smiled at himself.

He really couldn't even tell it was a plane anymore, because with Echo asleep next to him it felt like their couch. The man drifted in and out until he felt something touch his shoulder. He looked up and saw Elliott looking down at his brother.

"Sorry man, didn't mean to wake you." Elliott whispered.

"No, it's okay. We should be arising soon, right?" He looked around, noticing the sun had set some from the last time he'd looked out the window.

"Yeah, in a minute." Elliott said. "I remember that stupid blanket."

Kace's brow crunched in the middle. "What's so stupid about it?"

"No, I didn't mean it's stupid. It always meant a lot to Echo. I mean the way he got it, that's why stupid." Elliott said, shaking his head at the memory.

"How's he get it?"

"Well, I don't remember the whole story. Just pieces. We were both little. It was the only thing our father ever gave to him. I told him he should just throw it away." Elliott shrugged. "He said that I didn't understand because I got lots of things from him."

"Did you though?" Kace asked.

Elliott shook his head. "Not nessisarily things. But he spent more time with me and I think that meant more than anything else."

"What about your mom?" Kace asked. "What did she do with all of this?"

"What she could." Elliott said, falling back into his seat and letting his eyes drift to the window.

Kace took that as the end of the conversation and looked back at Echo, twisting the boy's hair around one finger.

When the seat belt light came on, Kace tried to ease Echo into his own seat, buckling him back in. The boy let out a groan, but otherwise didn't stir.


	46. Chapter 46

The plane taxied up the runway and to the terminal. Kace tried easing Echo awake, rubbing the boy's arms as he let out a squeal and stretched.

"Come on, bud. Time to wake up. We’ve got to get off." Kace whispered as the plane's cabin stirred to life. Everyone was unbuckling and standing up to reach for their carry ons.

Echo cracked his eyes open and looked around. He'd forgotten they were flying and it took him a second to register everything that was going on. When it finally did, he started to straighten, stretching once more before he had to get up.

"You ready?" Kace asked his sleepy boy.

Echo nodded and got up after Kace, letting the man take his hand and lead him off the plane. Elliott followed behind as they waited for their luggage. "I'll have to go to the stadium, but you guys can go ahead and go to the hotel. There's some fun stuff to do there." He grabbed his bag off the rotating conveyor belt and helped Kace grab the others.

"Okay, meet you there." Kace smiled and waved Elliott off as he grabbed a taxi.

"Yeah. Have fun." Elliott smiled and threw his bag into the trunk of the car and road off.  
Elliott held up his own hand and waited for a yellow car to pull up. He put their bags into the back and ushered Echo into the back seat.

"Where to?" The guy up front asked. The cab smelled like cigarettes and puke and the man's looks didn't help.

Echo hoped it was a short ride as he hid his nose in his sleeve.

Kace gave the driver the address of the hotel and kept hold of Echo as the man swerved through traffic. He was regretting getting in the cab all the way to the large, towering building.

Kace handed over some folded cash, jumping out of the cab and pulling Echo along with him as he said, "Keep the change." He grabbed the bags from the trunk and watched as a person crawled into the car.

"That was... Interesting." Kace said as the car peeled away.

"That guy made me want to puke." Echo said honestly, scorning at the experience.

"Well, let's go get checked in, okay." Kace said, squeezing the boy's hand and leading him inside.

It was a large yet simple lobby, nothing too extravagant but it didn't look cheap either. A few seats were scattered around against columns and around a water feature, with large windows at the front that let in light, but the rest artificially lit. Above the desk, you could see all twenty floors towering, glass elevators sliding up and down toward the far end.

Kace kept a hold of Echo hand as he walked to the check in desk, giving them his name and ID before they gave him his key and room number.  
The man in charge was thin and lanky, much like Echo but a foot taller. "The pool is over there and breakfast is served from eight to eleven. I hope you enjoy your stay." He gave a toothy smile.

Kace nodded and smiled back. "Thanks, have a good day."

They walked toward the elevators, bags being tugged along behind them and waited for the glass boxes to come back down. When one finally did, they climbed on and pushed the button for floor fourteen.

Echo watched out the glass and said, "Did you know buildings like this don't have a thirteenth floor."

"Really?" Asked Kace, looking at the floor buttons. Sure enough, the boy was right. Of all the numbers that were slightly worn on glowing buttons, thirteen was not one of them. "How'd you know that?"

Echo gave a shrug and looked out the window to the floor below, getting further and further away. "I worked for a construction company for a while. Mostly I was just hammering stuff. But I noticed it when they were installing the elevator and when I asked, one of the guys told me. I thought it was a joke, so when I went to the library, I found out it was a real thing. And we aren't the only one to do it.

"I found out that we're not the only country that does it. Most Asian countries don't have fourth or ninth floors."

Kace looked at the boy for a split second, taking in the fact that the kid really had done a lot in his time. Well, given that his time was only twenty three years and he was mostly deaf.

The door pinged and Lace was pulled out of his trance and back to the elevator. He pulled the bags off and walked to their room, Kace sticking the key card in the door and waiting for the light to turn green. When it did, he twisted the knob and walked into the room.

It was stunning to say the least, for a hotel room. The lobby seemed a cheap knock off compared to the large, open room with floor to ceiling windows across the far wall with two doors leading off the living room. The kitchen had granite counters and stainless steal appliances.

"Wow." Echo dropped his bag at the door and walked over to the window to look at the downtown Manhattan view. "Look at this!"  
Kace laughed and lifted Echo's bag, walking towards the window to see what the boy was talking about.

The sun was setting behind the high rises, creating a red glow across the sky. It was breathtaking.

Kace had to blink a few time to get his eyes to readjust to the room's light. He took the bags to one of the rooms, opening the door with one hand and pulling the bags along with the other. He was surprised to find a crib in the room, already made with blankets and sheets.

Kace smiled at himself. Of course Elliott would have thought of everything. He sat the bags on tote camels and opened them up for easy access.  
"Hey Echo. What do you want to do first?" Kace asked from the other room.

Echo shrugged his shoulders, too preoccupied with taking in the seen to responded.

Kace walked back into the sitting area to make sure Echo was still there and let out a laugh at the sight. The boy was short, he knew that. But he was currently being dwarfed but the window and looked like no more than a child. He leaned against the doorframe and watched for a second before noticing the boy's bum seemingly moving,  
Kace let out a light sigh, one that was more from taking shallow breaths than frustration. He walked over to Echo at sat a hand on his shoulder, pulling him out of his trance. 

"Let's get you changed, and then we can find something good to eat." Kace said with a smiled when the boy faced him.

Echo nodded and his hands dropped from the window as he walked towards the bedroom. Kace scooped him him, getting a laugh from the boy as he was tickled and carried to the bedroom.

Kace sat the boy on the bed, putting a towel underneath him before starting the changing process. Echo wiggled a bit at the cold wipe, but was otherwise obedient, chewing on one of his nails. Kace threw the diaper into a bag and helped Echo back to his feet, watching at the boy padded off, back to the window.

Kace watched once more, the diaper making the scene a hundred times cuter. But his stomach protested watching any longer and Kace called out, "You hungry?"

Somehow, food had escaped his mind entirely as Echo turned around. He was hungry, they hadn't eaten much all day, but he wasn't in the mood to eat. "Not really."

"Well, why don't we get something anyway and you can eat it if you want." Kace smiled and went for the hotel phone. "Chicken okay, or do you want something else?"

Echo shrugged, a whine in his voice as he said, "I want you to cook."

"Buddy, we don't have anything for me to cook with. We'll get some stuff tomorrow to make dinner, but tonight, we're just going to have to eat here." Kace reasoned, pausing as he tapped numbers into the phone. He didn't want the hotel staff hearing if Echo was going to throw a fit.

Echo whined again, a vibration in the back of his throat. He looked grumpily at Kace, face pulled into a scorn and jaw set tight, more in irritation then anger.

Kace sighed, and pushed the last few numbers, ignoring Echo's stares. "Hello, I'd like to order something from room service. Yes-- One burger with fries and a kid's chicken fingers, also with fries. Okay, thank you."

Kace hung up the phone and Echo's face pulled tighter before he turned around and flopped down on the floor. The man didn't know if he should be able to get away with such sass right now, but figured that he could find something to cheer the boy up.

Kace fished Echo's blankie from the black backpack where he had safely stored it after their flight and put it over the boy's head. Echo moved to take it off as Kace sat down on the floor and pulled the boy into his lap.

Echo tried to wiggle his way out, not really wanting to messed with right now. But Kace held tightly, saying, "You know what's the most fun thing to do in New York?"

Echo wiggled a bit more before saying, "You letting me go?"

Kace gave a small side smile. "No, and enough with the sass. Do you know what the Statue of Liberty is?"

Echo rolled his eyes. "Duh. Everyone does. She's the giant statue that stands in the ocean on a small island. She was a gift from France way back when and they have one just like her."

"Well, I was thinking we could go and see what she really looks like. Tomorrow, after the game? We can climb into her head," Kace ran his hand through the boy's hair. "And see everything."

Echo stopped his squirming, imagining the whole city from the Lady's point of view. "Cool." He smiled a bit, looking off into space.

"So, what do you think? Wanna go?" Kace asked, a smile spread across his face.

"Yes!" Echo said gleefully back.

Kace tossed the boy's hair and hugged him close. This time, Echo fell into it, liking the warmth that emanated from the man, both physically and emotionally. They say like that until a knock came at the door and Kace and to get up, still holding onto the very light boy.

He sat Echo down and answered the door, rolling in a cart before closing the door with a thank you. Two silver players lay on the tray and the smell tickled Echo's nose, causing his stomach to rumble.

"Sounds like you may be a little more hungry than you thought." Kace joked and he sat the lids on the tray and took the food to the table. 

Echo sat next to Kace, thanking him for the food before digging in.

"I think you're forgetting something." Kace said, looking at the boy.

Echo ran through a list of thing quickly in his head. "Wha'y?"

"Babies need to be fed." Kace said, picking up his fork and knife and cutting the Chilean strip into chicken bits and holding out his fork.

Echo was hesitant as Kace held up the food, but opened his mouth and let the fork in. Kace pulled it away once Echo had the chicken in his mouth and let him chew.

This carried on throughout the meal, chicken then fry and back again. Echo didn't mind it, but he didn't have anything to do with his hands, which made it weird. So he let them fall into his lap, then by his sides, then on the table, each spot feeling weirded than the last.

"Do you want Snuggie?" Kace asked, noticing the boy's hand placement changes.

Echo nodded and waited as Kace picked it up off the floor where they'd left it and carried it back. He said thanks, and twiddled with it in his hands until the end of the meal.

Kace was ecstatic that Echo had eaten so much, even if it took letting him have his blankie to do it. He took the boy and his own plate back to the cart and pushed it out into the hall.

Echo was back at the window once more, this time sitting on the floor and watching a large yellow ball of light peak through two buildings, the sky already losing it's fire color and turning to a dull orange. Kace didn't understand why Echo liked it so much. Yeah, it was cool for a bit, but the sun sets everyday, no matter where you where. But, if Echo liked it, Kace wasn't about to stop him from having his fun.

Echo had a hard time taking in the whole view, focusing on one thing, then the next. It was as if the whole world could be seen from this one point and he could watch everything that happened. He could see small people running and walking and watch each one until he felt bad about missing all the other stuff and would look there. He didn't have tone part of it, too, which was nice. He didn't have to be on the sidewalk with them to watch, he could do it all right here from their room.

He watched until his eyes got heavy and his head leaned against the glass. He held Snuggie close and let the car lights passing below guide his closing eyes. Before long, he was limp against the window.

Kace had been preoccupied with something for a hour or so before noticing Echo hadn't made a peep in a while. He went back into the living area to find the boy leaning against the window and out like a light. He chuckled at himself and walked over, weighing waking the boy up to change against just letting him sleep in his clothes and choosing the later.

He eased Echo off the floor and walked him back to the bedroom, placing him lightly in the crib. Kace grabbed a blanket and tucked the boy in before pulling up the bars and kissing him good night.


	47. Chapter 47

"Why are you going through every detail?" Echo asked, annoyed. He'd spent most of the day listening to Kace drag on about all of the unimportant stuff, not really saying anything that mattered. He had gotten some serious 'oh yeah's in there, but that didn't mean he cared.  
He was tired and everything hurt and he just wanted to know why he was in this palace of death. "Just tell me what happened."

Kace could tell his boy was on the edge of a fit, teetering. He didn't like going through all this either, but Echo had to put together what happened that night himself. Even Kace didn't know all the details. How could he? He hadn't been with the boy when it happened. That's why Kace was sitting in an uncomfortable hospital chair and Echo sat in a hospital bed in a place he was terrified of.

"How about we just take a small nap, okay?"

Echo crossed his arms and sighed. "I'm not tired. I just want to know what happened."

"Yes you are, I can see it." Kace said, hitting a button to let the bed fall back.

Echo let out a moan, not wanting to lay down. "I said I'm not tired!"

Kace ignored the boy's protests and grabbed his hand. "Have you ever heard the story about when Superman was younger and just finding out about his powers?"

Echo's brow crinkled in the middle, but he couldn't hold back his curiousness. "No..."

"Do you want to?" Kace's asked, smiling. Echo may be twenty three, but he was clearly set back several years in his mind. Even after what had happened, Echo clearly had the headspace of a ten year old. And kids love superhero stories.

Echo nodded his head.

"Well, he was walking home from school after having missed the bus, and didn't know what to tell his Ma and Pa about why he's late." Kace continued the story, stopping only to pull the covers up to the boy's chin as he yawned and closed his eyes. Kace waited until the boy's breathing steadied before he stopped talking and sat back, watching the Echo's chest rise and fall.

When he was positive Echo was asleep, he walked into the hallway and down to the elevator, hitting the button for floor nine. The cab beeped and the doors closed, shaking as it was pulled three floors up. 

The doors opened back up and Kace stepped out. Large glass doors named the wing the Intensive Care Unit, and as Kace stepped through, he could hear the sound of machines beeping. 

There were few people in the rooms now, so Kace could easily make his way to Elliott. The man looked like he'd been on the business side of a sludge hammer, bruises covering the left side of his face where the bandage didn't cover.

Kace took the man's hand in his, closing his eyes and praying. "Elliott, man, you have to wake up. Echo's asking too many questions that I don't have the answer to. What's he going to do without you? What am I going to do without you?"

Kace's head hurt, a symptom of sleep deprivation. But how was he supposed to sleep when his best friend and the kid that meant everything to him sat in hospital beds. 

He let out a heavy sigh, saying, "Please, please, please wake up. Please."

Somewhere, within the pit of unconscious, Elliott could hear Kace. He wanted to respond, wanted to tell him to shut up--I'm alright!-- but he couldn't.

Even breathing hurt right now. He tried to squeeze Kace's hand, only to be disappointed at his muscles unwillingness to listen. He let out a groan, hurting his chest, but it felt nice to be able to do something.

Kace looked at the man sideways, unsure if what he heard was real. "Elliott?"

Elliott's heart fluttered. That was a real sound, not just his mind. He tried to speak, but it came out as nothing more than a mild sound of annoyance.

"Elliott!" Kace smiled, squeezing the man's hand. "Elliott, man, you have to wake up. Come on, I know you want to say something."

Elliott moaned. Kace was a great guy, but did he have to talk so loud? "Dude, quiet." He said, but it came out as more of a, "udd, 'uiet."

"I don't know what you're saying but it's the best thing I heard all day." Kace laughed before pushing a button by the side of the man's bed.

A few seconds later, A nurse and doctor charged into the room, ready for whatever may come. 

"He's awake." Elliott announced, trying to keep the relief from his voice.

The doctor nodded, asking the nurse for something before leaning in next to Elliott and asking, "Can you open your eyes for us?"

Elliott tried to comply, the request seemingly simple. But it was hard, and it took him a long time to gain the strength to open his eyes to the dimmed lights in the room. He blinked once, then twice, making sure it was the lights and not his eyes before looking at Kace and the doctor, both of which had large smile on their face.

"There you are." The doctor smiled. She was a nice woman, tall, with thick brown hair and milky brown eyes that peered curiously at the man in the bed.

"I feel like I got hit with a bowling ball. A lot." Elliott moaned, easing his arm with great effort and pushing against his aching head.

"You look like it too." Kace laughed.

Elliott let out a single laugh, just a puff of air. "You should see the other guy."

"I have." Said the doctor. "You did quite a number on him."

"Good. The bastard deserves it." Elliott said seriously. He took in a sharp breath as he moved to sit up, taking inventory of his wounds. His face hurt, and his eyes went white with pain every time he moved. That was all he got to.

"You wanna tell us what happened?" Kace asked.

"No." Elliott said honestly. He suddenly got a very bad feeling in his gut, and his eyes darted around. "Where's Echo?"

"He's fine. A little memory loss, but otherwise okay." The doctor said. "We're more worried abo--"

"No, I mean, where is he right now?" Elliott asked, cutting the doctor off. "Something's wrong."

Kace looked at the man's eyes before darting out of the room and back to the elevator, repetitively pushing the button until the cab pinged and he jumped on. He did the same to the button inside the elevator, impatiently jumping until the door opened back up and he dashed for the boy's room.

Echo was sprawled out on the bed, whimpering with his eyes shut tightly. Kace walked over to him and placed a hand on his side, able to tell right away when Echo was having nightmares. Kace shook the boy, too worried about waking him up to worry about his aching muscles.  
"Echo." He said loudly. "Echo."

Echo's eyes snapped open, wild as the glanced around the room. He gripped Kace's arms, his heart beating and adrenaline rushing through his veins. He tried to scramble around, the pain forgotten as he gripped for something--anything--to tell him where he was.

"Echo," he could hear Kace's voice say. "Echo, you're okay. I'm right here."

Kace tried to hold the boy down until he got his bearings. He was wiggling, but finally caught a full glance of Kace and forced himself up to latch onto the man's chest. Kace pulled the boy closer, hugging him tightly.

"It's okay." Kace whispered into the boy's ear. "Just a bad dream, that's all. I'm here, Elli's okay. You're safe."

Echo shook his head as tears streamed down his face. "I wanna go 'ome." 

"We will, okay. I promise. As soon as we can." Kace pulled the boy into his lap as he went to sit down on the bed. "Let's just go to sleep for now, okay."

Echo nodded his head and fell into Kace's embrace.


	48. Chapter 48

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to my new Beta futuristicjazzhamds! Helping me out tons with spelling and grammar and typos and all sorts of fun stuff!

It took Echo some time to fall asleep, the scare from his most recent nightmare playing over and over in his head, even when he closed his eyes. He would open and shut his lids repeatedly, trying to get the images to go away but they just wouldn't.

"What's wrong buddy?" Kace asked, noticing Echo's inability to sleep.  
Echo shook his head and pushed closer to Kace. "Dreams won't go away."

Kace started playing with the boy's hair, thinking it may help to calm him. "You know, sometimes it helps to talk about it."

Echo pondered the idea, thinking about whether or not it was okay. When he figured it couldn't hurt, he said, "It was about Elli and me when we were little. He was trying to keep someone away from me and we were running. We did that a lot.

"He turned the corner and when I went to follow, Elli wasn't there and it was just a dead end. And the thing we were running from was right on top of me and--" 

Kace wrapped his arms around Echo as the boy pushed harder into his chest. "It's okay, it's okay." He played with Echo's hair for a few minutes, rubbing his other hand down the boy's back and trying to calm him.

He started humming a song that he had long forgotten until now. It was a choir song his mom had learned in high school and sung to him when he was younger. It was simple, and even though he's been told that the song had three verses, each with a different language he only sang the one. One was Spanish, one English, and the last one was Latin. But he'd forgotten all about the tune until now and never cared to look up the other two.

The words came to him as he hummed, and he sang broken lyrics until Echo let out a sigh and his breathing steadied. Kace went back to humming, his own eyes growing heavy as he pulled the blankets over the boy and himself and got the first decent amount of sleep in the past few days.

When Kace woke the next day, it was already late into the day. The sun peeked through closed blinds and gleamed off the tile floor. He let out a sigh and looked around before pulling the blankets back and sitting on the edge of the bed.

Echo let out a moan as the warmth he'd been seeping was no longer there and rolled over, pushing against the man's back. He was still tired and wanted to go back to sleep, but a shifting around his area made it hard. He rolled onto his side, the weight on his leg making it hard along with the needled in his arm.

"Don't move around too much, bud." Kace said after the boy started shifting around. He put a hand on the boy to shift him back to lay on his back. "You doing okay?"

Echo shook his head no. Everything hurt and it was hard to move and he still had no idea what had happened. And where was Elli?

Kace let out a sigh and got up to grab a diaper from one of the shelves in a cabinet that one of the nurses had filled for him and a few wet wipes. "How about we get you changed and see if that helps." 

Echo nodded and shifted slightly, letting Kace change the soaked padding around him. He had to admit, even just having it off did make him feel better. Kace wrapped the new one around the boy's waist and taped it tightly closed just as the door thudded with two knocks.

The doctor came in, his black hair gelled back and eyes big from glasses that sat on the end of his nose. "How are you guys doing?" He asked with a smile.

Kace smiled back as Echo shifted to hid behind the taller man. This doctor smelled weird and he was too tall for his own good.

"We're doing alright." Kace said, reaching a hand back to show Echo it was okay.

"Slept an awful lot." The doctor smiled and looked down at his clipboard. "I have to check a few thing and then we'll have a nurse come in and check the bandage on you leg and change it. Then we can see about getting that IV out. Sound good?"

"Sounds great. Thank you." Kace smiled once more as the doctor nodded and walked over to the bed, getting a glance at the boy.

He was small for his age, that was for sure. When the boy had first come into the doctor's care, he'd lost his mind trying to wrap it around the fact that this kid was the twin brother of famous quarterback of the Thunderbirds. They were supposed to be identical, but he saw very few similarities between the boy and his brother. And not just the fact that Echo looked like he was ten years younger than Elliott.

Echo glared as his past guarding wall and moved to sit up and pull the blanket over his lower half.

"Can you sit up for me, bud?" The doctor asked.

Echo nodded and sat up, his legs bent at the knees out in front of him. 

"I just gonna check a few things. Think you can take a big breath in?" Gump stuck the earphones into his ears and the microphone of the stethoscope to Echo's back, listening closely. He moved it around, each time asking Echo to take a breath in. When that was over, he stuck a black thing with a cone on the end into Echo's ears.

Echo didn't' like the invasion of his ears because he had to take out the one hearing aide and Gump had to lift the bandage that was wrapped around his head.

"Everything seems to be good." Gump smiled. "Your ear is doing better as well. I'll have a nurse in here to change the bandages and get you two something to eat."

"That'd be great. Thank you." Kace smiled. He sat down next to Echo. "How's Elliott doing?"

"Elliott's hurt?" Echo asked. That was news to him.

"Yeah, but he woke up last night." Kace wrapped an arm around the boy and looked at the doctor, waiting for an answer.

"Doctor Franklin read me up on his condition. He seems to be doing much better than we thought he would. Only minor injuries." Gump said. "You two are very lucky."

Echo eyed the doctor all the way until he walked out. "Is Elli okay?"

Kace nodded. "He's fine, bud. I just was him last night, he was doing great. You wanna go see him?"

Echo looked at his leg. "Will they let me?"

"Well, if not, I'll sneak you up there." Kace laughed. "Let's wait until your bandages are changed and then we can head up, okay?"

Echo nodded, smiling. 

A few minutes later, a nurse walked in and started peeling the bandage off Echo's leg, giving the boy his first real look at his leg. It was more bruise than not, deep shades of purple with a mix of yellow splotched around and a cut that ran down the right side of his leg, tied with little black stitches. It looked like a caterpillar was crawling up his leg.

He couldn't look at it for more than a few seconds before his stomach started to turn and he buried his face in Kace's shoulder. He could feel as the nurse rewrapped his leg in a lighter bandage and then moved on to his head, replacing the white wrapping with a bandage that covered his ear. Echo couldn't tell what was wrong there, but it didn't sound bad.

When she was done, Kace asked for a wheelchair and they made their way to the elevators.  
Elliott was laying in bed, flipping through channels as a news station came up. A picture of him in his football jersey was in the top right of the screen as the words FOOTBALL PLAYER ELLIOTT SUMPTER STILL IN HOSPITAL AFTER ATTACK flashed across the bottom of the screen. He turned up the volume and listened to the report.

"After the game Friday night with the New York Giants, Thunderbird player Elliott Sumpter and his twin brother Echo were attacked by this man." A picture came across screen of a man with gray curled hair and a snarl. His face was I shaved and unkept, resulting in a nasty looking person. 

"Can you believe it?" A man with well trimmed hair asked. "There's another Sumpter walking around out there."

"He's not a bad looking guy." The lady smiled, unnatural blond curls bouncing behind her as she moved her head. "It's hard to believe there's two of them."

"I heard they look nothing alike." A third guy with short black hair and dark skin said. "You wouldn't even know they were twins without them telling you."

"Really?" The lady asked. "I thought they were identical."

"They are, or should I say were." The guy responded. "Until about middle school."

"That's about when they lost their mother, right?" The other guy asked.

"Yeah." The lady said. "Don't we have a picture from them when they were younger?"

Two picture flash across the screen, Echo and Elliott's sixth grade school photos. Their hair had been cut the same and the wore similar shirts, but it was still clear who was who.  
"On the left is Elliott and on the right is his brother." The lady said.

"Wow," one of the guys exclaimed.

"How the fu--" Elliott started, angry that his childhood photos had been released. But his cursing was cut short as the door swung open and his brother rolled into the room, Kace standing behind him.

"Hey man, we thought we should go rogue and see how you were doing." Kace smiled.


	49. Chapter 49

Elliott smiled at the sight of his brother, happy to see he was okay after everything that happened. "You look like crap." He joked.

"Said the bloody blob." Echo smiled. His twin looked like he'd gotten up close and personal with the hard end of a hammer. 

Elliott laughed lightly. "True enough. How are you doing?"

Echo shrugged as Kace pushed the wheelchair closer to Elliott's bed. "Still don't know what happened but it hurt."

Elliott's eyes looked up at Kace, questioning the man. "You don't remember what happened?"  
Echo shook his head, glancing at his brother and then Kace. "Why? Was it something bad?"  
"Well, yeah it was bad." Elliott laughed but in the way that said he wasn't laughing because it was funny, but because he question was stupid.

Echo's eyes narrowed. "Kace was going to tell me but he had to go over every detail."

Elliott let out a sigh, the effort hurting his chest. "You don't remember any of it?"

Echo shook his head once more. He was starting to really hate this.

Kace sat down on the edge of Elliott's bed. "Even I don't have the whole story. I was kind of stalling when I was telling Echo the story. I didn't want to tell it wrong."

"Probably for the better." Elliott said, glancing down at his twin. He looked scared, the anonymity of the situation sending his mind to panic. "I'll tell you what happened because I know that here soon, we're going to have police asking a lot of questions."

Echo looked terrified, so Kace pulled the boy from the chair and sat down with the boy in his lap.

"So, it was game day and the whole crowd was going crazy. Even the hotel we were staying at was going nuts...

Elliott woke up to his phone alarm going off at 7 in the morning. He rolled over and hit the scream hard to turn it off before throwing his feet over the side of the bed and getting up. Yesterday he came back to Kace grabbing something to drink late at night. The man had throw a soda at him the second Elliott walked in the door.

"Kace, dude!" Elliott said, narrowly missing the blow.

"Jeez, sorry man. You okay?" Kace said, shutting the fridge and walking over to his friend.  
"Yeah, Im fine. What was that about?" Elliott dropped his bag at the door and picked up the can.

"Sorry, was kind of half asleep. Instincts took over." Kace took the can and shook it with a half smiled.

Elliott just shook his head. "So how are things with you and Echo? Is it working?"

"It's coming." Kace smiled, glancing towards the room where the boy was. "He's getting more into it, I think. Really, he looks like he's kind of having fun."

Elliott smiled. "That's great. I was worried at first, but he looks a lot more like himself."

"He seems to be letting go a little each day." Kace smiled. "What about you, how was practice?"

"Tiring... I'm going to hit the hay. You should probably to the same." Elliott made his way to the other room and waved good night.

"Yeah, will do. Night." 

Elliott say his stuff down at the door and flopped onto the bed, a large thud ringing out from the sudden weight. His eyes were closed and he's passed out almost immediately.

Now, as the sounds of morning rand through the hotel, he peeled off his clothes from yesterday and brushed his teeth, saving his shower until after the game. A fresh pair of pants and a tshirt later and he was out of his bedroom and into the sitting area of the apartment style hotel room.

"You guys up?" Elliott yelled through the door. He looked through the fridge quickly to see if there was anything worth eating. There wasn't.

"Yeah, be out I'm a sec." Kace's voice rang out.

Elliott grabbed a bottled water and opened it. "Want me to order something from room service?"

Kace came out of the room, Echo following sleepily behind. "No, figured we could just grab something on our way."

"You all coming to the stadium early?" Elliott asked.

"No, I was thinking we'd go sight seeing before the game. Not all the time you get to be in New York." Kace smiled and pushed Echo along, mouthing the words "statue of liberty" as they walked to the door to get their shoes.

"That sounds fun." Elliott smiled. He felt a small pang of nervous doubt about his brother walking around downtown without anyone but Kace protecting him. "Just don't wear my jersey today."

Echo looked down at his shirt, forgetting which one he was wearing. It was a bright red shirt with a yellow lightning bolt over a white circle. The Flash was pretty cool. "Nope, just Flash."

"Cool." Elliott smiled. "You guys be safe, okay. I gotta go." With that, he grabbed his bag and was out the door. He pushed the down button and waited for it to ping.

He took a taxi to the stadium, pulling his gear behind him as he walked to the guest's locker room to get changed.

"Hey man." Luke greeted him. "How you doing?"

"I'm great, man, how about you?" Elliott smiled.

"Ah, you know. Same old same old. Wife's kicking my butt over not bringing her along." He let out a billowy laugh. "She wouldn't get to do much, though. 'Sept hang out with a bunch of old sweaty guys."

Elliott slapped his arm and laughed. "Maybe she just wanted to see what other guys had to offer."

"Oh man, come one now. That was low!" Luke laughed and held the locker room door open for Elliott to walk in. "How are things with you and your new girl?"

"Gracie? Oh, great. The other night we went out and had so much fun it should have been illegal." Elliott laughed at the memory.

"Fun, huh?" He eyes Elliott playfully.

Elliott tried not to blush. "Dude, not like that!"

"Sure." Luke stretched out the word and turned down a hall, leaving Elliott in the locker room alone. He was usually the first one to get to practice, that way he didn't have to worry about morning traffic. 

He threw his bag into a locker and sat down on a bench, pulling his shoes off to start putting on his practice uniform.

The day flew by in practice, the rest of the team arriving and pumped for game day. It seemed like the city was ready to see how the big apple's Giants would fair against the Glacier Thunderbirds.


	50. Chapter 50

Elliott meet up with his brother an hour before the game, hugging him tightly in greeting.

"Dude, ever heard of a shower?" Echo laughed.

Elliott backed up and lifted his arm, smelling it then shrugging. "It's not that bad."

"Says the guy who's been around sweaty men all day. Dude, take a shower." Kace laughed.

Elliott glared at them jokingly. "And to think I got you two a private suit to watch the game from."

"Is it close to the field?" Echo asked hopefully.

"Yup. Perfect view of the game." Elliott smiled. "Want me to show you to it?

Echo nodded his head in large motions, excitement getting to him.

"Alright, come on then." Elliott said, waving them through the large doors and down a hall. It was well kept, and nice smelling, which Echo appreciated. Sometimes, places like this had a way of smelling that carpet that's been wet for years.

"Right in here." Elliott opened the door and waited as Echo and Kace walked in and saw the view. It was about two stories up, with one wall being nothing but a window.

"This is awesome!" Echo said, running up to the window and look at e view of the field below.  
"Help yourself to whatever's in the mini bar and enjoy the game!" Elliott smiled. "I have to get back down stairs with the team for a meeting, but I'll be up here after the game."

"Sounds good." Kace nodded. "Hey, is this glass two way?"

Elliott looked at it, trying to remember one way or the other. "No, it's shaded on the other side. Why?"

Kace's eyes darted to the boy at the window. "Just wondering." He points over at Echo.

Elliott understood immediately. "Oh, there's bathroom through that door over there. I made sure."

Kace let out a sigh of relief. A few hours was a long time to go without a change. "Thanks man. Good luck. We'll be cheering for you."

"You better." Elliott threatened jokingly. "See ya."

With that, Elliott made his way to the locker rooms once more.

The game ended with a 60 to 54, Thunderbirds taking the game in the last few seconds as Elliott passed to the tight end, Frasier, who ran the ball the forty yards as the Giant's outside linebacker chased him with the speed of a cheetah. He would have gotten Frasier too, if he'd had another ten yards.

Instead, Frasier held tight to the ball and jumped over an invisible hurdle into the in-zone just as the buzzer went off. 

The sound of fans cheering was deafening, causing Elliott to cover his ears. He scanned the audience, looking for the familiar smile he'd been so used to through every middle and high school game.

Echo's hands were up, face smiling as he waved his arms and cheered amount the audience where he insisted that they sit for the last few moments. Kace did the same right next to him, and Elliott, knowing they were a hundred yards away, could have sworn he heard the man say, "Way to go!" 

He held his hand up in victory, shaking his fist.

It was some time and after a shower that he was able to check in on his brother and friend. They were both sitting on the couch, Echo leaning on Kace as he dozed.

"Hey guys." He said, smiling.

Echo jumped up at the sound of his brother's voice. "Elli! You won!"

"Yup." Elliott smiled pridefully. "Did you enjoy the game?"

"Best one yet!" Echo laughed, pulling words he hadn't used in a long time. It used to be, after every game, Elliott would ask how it was and Echo would reply with the same three words. But it had been a long time before that happened. 

Too long.

Kace got up and picked Echo up with him, noticing the boy's very wet diaper. It must have happened when he was zoning in and out, teetering between awake and asleep. "You did good, man. Giving the winning touchdown to Frasier like that takes something."

"Yeah, well, he deserved it." Elliott smiled.

A knock came at the door, hard and loud. Echo jumped and Elliott turned around to answer it.  
He yanked the door open, ready to yell at whoever it was but stopped dead in his tracks as a man glared at him. It only took a second for Elliott to gain his composer back, but the man used that second to push past the foot ball player and into the room.

"Fancy life you two are living up." He said, his voice coming from somewhere in the back of his throat, torn to shreds from years of pack-a-day smoking and booze. It crackled as he spoke, sending shivers down both Echo's and Elliott's spine.

Kace looked at the man as Echo grabbed his arm. "Who are--"

"Shut up, boy." The man yelled.

"Don't talk to Kace like that!" Echo yelled back, his voice small in his mouth.

The man let out a laugh, menacing and scary. "I suggest you get out of here, Kace." His tong slithered on the last word, making the man more snake than ever.

"I'm not going anywhere." Kace's eyes were winkled in the middle as he starred the man down.

Elliott looked at the man and back to Kace. "Kace, please leave us." He said, motioning towards the door. Kace was about to protest when Elliott yelled, "Now, Kace."

Kace eyed Elliott, not wanting to leave them alone with whoever this man was. But there was something in the twin's looks, the way the stood, paralyzed in fear and yet, brave. He edged towards the door, moving slowly. He glanced over when he saw Elliott's hands moving at his side, flashing award sigh language.

It was only when he closed the door behind him and hear it lock that he realized what it was:  
9-1-1

Elliott walked closer towards his brother, covering him with his arm. "What do you want?"

"Ten years and this is how you treat your father!" The man snickered. "I thought we taught you better."

"What 'we?'" Elliott snarled.

The man smiled with half of his unshaven face, his gray oily hair hanging in his face. "Don't forget who kept you two alive all those years. You have something and I want it."

"Go away!" Echo yelled from behind his brother.

There were very few times that he would tell his twin not to talk, but Elliott really wished this was one. Echo had a way of pissing the man off without even trying.

"Look what the runt is saying." He snarled. "You're a useless piece of shit and you always will be."

"Don't talk to him!" Elliott yelled, moving back a step to keep Echo firmly behind him.

"I can talk to whoever the fuck I want to, boy!" The mall pulled at Elliott's shirt, and, with the force of a cow's kick, threw him out of the way.

Elliott grunted at he hit the couch, pushing himself up to his feet to chase after his father. But he wasn't quick enough as the man got a hold of Echo and lifted him off the ground with one hand.

Echo squealed and kicked at the man, trying as hard as he could to be put down. He gasped for air as the man pushed against the wall and squeezed tighter.

Elliott grabbed a lamp from the coffee table and smashed it over the man's head, hoping it would knock him out. Instead it just really, really pissed him off as cremated pieces fell around him. He threw Echo to the side and went after his larger son.

Elliott grabbed a metal folding chair from a rack and held it over his head, aiming it at the older man's legs hoping it would impair his movement. He swung the chair with all his force and knocked the man off his feet, then repositioned it to hit him in the head.

The man reached out and grabbed Elliott's foot, lifting it as he stood up and knocking the boy onto his back.

Echo got off the floor and went after the man, jumping on his back and getting a decent chock hold as the man let out an aggravated, "Argh!" And slammed Echo into the wall, using he force of his upper body to get the boy off him and air back into his lungs.

The man shoved Echo's back into the wall over and over. Each one with more force than the one with more force than ever and breaking the dry wall. Echo let out a cry and had to let go as the man twisted his body and sliced the boy's shin on the metal bars now exposed in the wall in the process.

Tears came to Echo's eyes as the pain became overwhelming. The man grabbed the folding chair, yelling as he went after his sons.

"You think you deserve this! You're little pieces of shit just like your mother before you! Dumb asses who don't know respect from regret! You think you deserve all this money and glory! You don't! I do!" The man landed a blow with the chair over Elliott's side, causing him to scream out in pain. "I heard about you on the news. Think you're going to go and become some big football star without sharing any of the earrings with me! I don't think so!"

Another smash over the side, this one blocked but Elliott's arm. He got up as fast at he could, feeling the blood that trickled down his side, hot and wet. Before the man could react, Elliott sent him into the back of the couch, screaming, "SHUT UP YOU FUCK FACE!" As the man's head went through the back, ripping the aupolstry. 

He looked over at his twin's body, spread over the debris from the wall with blood gushing from his leg and the side of his head, creating a pool of iron smelling liquid where the floor meet the wall.

Elliott was breathing heavy and his heart beating fast, too fast to notice as the door was broken down and Kace's figure appeared in the room.

Kace ran over to him, yelling something in his ear as more people walked into the room, white and blue uniforms mixing in with the background as his eyes stopped working and he fell to the ground.


	51. Chapter 51

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the updates taking so long, guys! Still have lots to go, though!

"And after that, I woke up here." Elliott said, watching confusion flash across Echo's face.

He was shaking his head no, none of it making sense. "Dad wouldn't do that." He looked at Elliott and then Kace, who still had the boy in his lap. "He wouldn't."

"Well, he did, Echo." Elliott said sternly. "He's a dirty piece of crap and he mugged his own sons because he thought he was in titled to what we've been spending our whole lives to get."

"No he's not!" Echo almost yelled, his eyes becoming hot and watery.

"Yes he is, Echo!" Elliott yelled back. The effort hurt every bone in his body, but his twin had to see what was in front of his eyes. "Reality hurts, Echo. But it doesn't change just because you want it to."

Tears streamed down Echo's face as he shook his head back and forth, harder and harder. "No! Dad never hurt us!"

"Yes he did, Echo! When will you start seeing what's real?" Elliott yelled. "That man is not our father! His name is Victor Tar and he happened to be in a bar one night when mom was tipsy. That's it. He beat on her every night and because of it she guarded you from everything!"

Echo couldn't handle this. He didn't want to. His head hurt and he was cold and he just wanted to disappear. "No one ever told me he hit mom."

"That's because she kept us in the other room every time he came home in a drunk rampage. You didn't have your hearing aids in because mom would take them at night. You'd carry on like nothing was going on through the door and she told me never to tell you." Elliott's jaw was set tight in anger but his eyes were lowered in shame. "When she left and he followed, it never came up."

Echo's breathing was shallow and unhelpful as what his brother said sank in. "Why wouldn't you tell me? Did he hit you too?"

"Mom would never let that happen, Echo. When she left, it was because she was running for her life. I didn't know this until a few years ago when I hired someone to track Victor down. The PI dug up a lot more than I ever thought was possible." Elliott closed his eyes and shook his head. "This is so screwed up."

"You're damn right it is!" Echo didn't know what to feel, he didn't know what to do. Crying didn't help and sitting didn't help and this was just too much.

"I think we should get back to our room." Kace said, pulling Echo's stiff body to him and getting up from the chair.

Elliott nodded in agreement. He had too many questions swimming around in his head to worry about the ones going through Echo's.

Echo clung to Kace for dear life as he walked down the hall. He didn't care if people saw the diaper or stared at him as he was carried. Kace held tight until the elevator binged and they stepped off, walking towards the room they were using.

"Why don't we find something to watch on TV?" Kace asked, holding the remote up to the small box in the corner. They were sitting on the bed, Echo still holding onto Kace as the man sat cross legged on the bed.

Echo turned his head so his face was laying on Kace's chest instead of his chin on the man's shoulder. He sunk as deep into Kace's warmth as was possible as the man flipped the TV on and turned through shows.

"What's going to happen to him?" Echo asked, his finger working it's way around a lose thread.

"Who, the old man?" Echo nodded his head. "Well, he's only half alive now. Elli sent his head through the back of a couch and scrambled his head pretty bad. Not that there was much in there to hurt."

"Elli hurt him?" Echo asked, leaning back a bit.

"He'll live, but he'll probably spend the rest of his crappy life behind bars." Kace would be happy to see it, too. The man was a dirt bag. Well, actually, that gave a bad name to dirt. "He had a warrant out for his arrest before all of this went down. The Thunderbird's are pressing charges even if Elli doesn't want to. He won't hurt anyone else."

The sat in silence for a few moment until Echo said, "Good."

Kace eyed the boy in his lap as he rubbed his arm across his nose to clean it up. "Are you okay with this?"

"With what?" Echo asked.

"Everything that's happened." Kace said. "It's a lot to take in."

Echo sighed. "Elli told me once that life happened and we have no way to stop it. You just have to go with it or get run over."

"And which do you think is happening right now?" Kace asked.

Echo shrugged and leaned in close to Kace, letting his eyes close. He floated in and out of consciousness, listening to the TV go on about nothing important. Thoughts rushed around in his head in his state, annoying and unstoppable.

_So, dad is not only an alcoholic, but violent. I feel like I knew this and for some reason I just wouldn't process until now. Why would he hurt mom? And if she was so god-damn set on not letting us get hurt, why's she run off? Did dad really threaten her life? Well, wasn't it like that all the time? Ugh! I just want this to be over! ___

Kace rubbed the boy's back, feeling as he relaxed more and more until he'd falling compleatly asleep. Kace liked having him there, the boy's warm body relying on him to be there and be strong. 

Kace leaned back into the pillows, slowly taking Echo with him. The boy sighed, but otherwise didn't stir. 

_"You know," Kace said so lightly, even he couldn't really hear it. "If you wanted, I could be your new dad_


	52. Chapter 52

Kendra closed the door behind Victor as he walks out, able to hear as his beat up truck roared to life and he peeled of down the street. Sometimes, she wondered if he would ever get drunk enough to crash into a poll and be out of her life forever. But it would be against everything her father had taught her about Christian ways to hope for it.

She let out a sigh and leaned against the door, looking at the tiny living room that double as a dinning room when needed. It was torn to shreds, papers and unpaid bills scattered across the floor from where Victor had flipped the table in rage. The couch was torn to shreds, springs breaking through the fabric and poking any who dared to sit on it. The carpet had turned yellow years before and was buried under months of settled dust. And the TV was nothing more than a blank box that sat on a small table to keep it off the floor. Unless and blank for a year and a half.

How did her life come to this?

One night, that's all it took. One night when she went out and got too drunk to walk straight after trying to get over her last boyfriend. Victor had been there, watching as the girl downed beer after beer until he figured she was drunk enough for him to get some action.

Kendra was vulnerable and drunk and Victor seemed so nice. So she went with him, and in her drunken state, let him have his way. It was amazing and she fell in love. That was all it took. He worked her up until she'd said yes. A ring, a ceremony, the realization that they wouldn't be alone. Then the drinking. The hitting. The beating. The pain. The tears. 

She'd tried before, to get away, after their first fight. But he'd tracked her down and smooth talked her over and over until she came back. She had lost hope of ever getting away after that.

When the boys came, she swore to herself that Victor would not lay a hand on their heads. That's why she hid them in the bedroom every time Victor was sober enough to make his way back home. And that's where they sat now.

She pushed off from the door and walked down a short hall into the bedroom, unlocking it with a key around her neck. The door creaked loudly as two pairs of green eyes looked up at her.

She flipped on the switch and sent artificial light across the room from the cheap fixture.

"You two hungry?" She asked, faking a smiled. She mimed feeding herself with a fork for Echo.

Elliott looked over at his brother, Kendra able to see that he was scared. Thing always took a while to settle down and Elliott was always the last part of doing that.

He shook his head no, his small blonde curls bouncing around his face. Kendra sighed, knowing that if he didn't eat, neither would Echo. She had hoped her younger son would rely on his mother more than his brother, and when Elliott was gone, he did. But the second Elliott walked through the door, Echo clung to him like white on rice.

Echo was her baby, deaf and completely reliant on those around him. Kendra needed him in her life because he was her reason to live. If she didn't have Echo, she would have stopped her pain long ago. But Echo needed her.

She picked the boy up, setting him on the bed before picking up Elliott. They were already getting too heavy for her to lift for a long amount of time. They were both seven, baby fat starting to fall off and be replaced with hight long ago.

"You two know I love you, right?" She had to ask. They needed to know. She moved a finger from her chest into a shape of a heart and towards Echo.

"I know." Elliott said lightly, eyes going back to their normal size as the fear faded away. "When will he go away?"

"Your father is a hard man to understand, but he was once a very good person." Kendra knew she was lying, but the boys needed something to hold onto. "Bad times change us all."

Elliott glanced at the door and back to his mom. "When will he be back?"

Kendra shrugged, pulling her boys inter her lap. "Who's to know."

"One day, I'll be big enough to make him go away." Elliott said seriously. "I won't let him come near us ever."

Kendra smiled at her older son. "No, I don't want you to be big just for that. I want you two to go to school and be big and smart and have everything I couldn't." She poked him in the stomach playfully. "Then you come back and you take me somewhere great."

"Deal." Elliott smiled.

Echo watched, not knowing what was going on but not caring. It wasn't the first time they'd been locked in their mom's room only to have her come back some time later. He never understood why Elliott jumped so much when they were in the room. But Elliott did a lot of things he didn't understand. Kendra would take his hearing aides at night, not wanting him to lose them in the sheets, so he never heard anything that happened after seven.

"Well, if we're not going to eat, why don't we get some sleep?" She fell back onto the flat pillows and pulled the boys with her, pulling the thin comforter up to their chins. Elliott rolled onto his side, pushing his back against his mother's as she pulled Echo in to cuddle.

Several years later:

Kendra swung a bag onto the bed, the movement putting strain on her freshly bruised ribcage. She took every item of clothing she had in the dresser and shoved it into the bag, filling it only halfway. She threw the bag over her shoulder and tried to hold back tears as she crept past the door into the boy's room.

"They're older now." She told herself. "They can take care of themselves." Guilt rippled down her spine as she made her way for the door, turning around to look once more at the house she'd lived in for so long. Covered in dust and torn to shreds, that's how she'd remember it forever. The sink in the kitchen that always leaked, the carpet that would never be cleaned, the couch that could never be sat on, the TV that would never turn on. That's how she would remember it: useless and shitty.

She had a thought, one that may have stopped her from leaving just yet. _Take Echo with you._ That was it, and she knew it. She couldn't leave her boy, not the one who couldn't get on without her. Not Echo.

But she had to. It was the only way they could have a normal life. The only way they'd be safe. Victor would chase her to the ends of hell and the boys would be safe. 

She turned her head and, without looking back, tuned the door knob and walked out. 

She had planned to meet up with the boys when they were older, when there was no chance of Victor ever finding her. Explain why she left, that it was her only choice. That this was for their own safety. But she never got the chance 


	53. Chapter 53

Kace woke up later that day to Echo shifting in his arms. He didn't remember falling asleep, but the day was already gone and it was clearly late. The sun had set and left the window an empty view into the starless night sky. 

Echo shifted once more and Kace's eyes scanned over the boy, realizing he was in nothing more than a hospital gown. Kace pulled the back of the gown up to look at the diaper wrapped around Echo's waist, noticing the pattern had faded and it was severely swollen.

Kace shook Echo once lightly on his shoulder, saying, "Echo, bud, we've been asleep for a while."

Echo let out a moan at the movement and shifted.  
"You need to be changed, bud. You're soaked." Kace patted his butt for good measure.

Echo cracked his eyes open to look at Kace. The room was lit by a floor lap that scattered light around in a low glow. He just wanted to roll back over and all asleep. "I wanna go back to sleep."

"After we get you in a fresh diaper. Come on. Let's try not to get another rash." Kace got up and grabbed a diaper and some wipes. 

Echo was tittering on the cusp of sleep once more as Kace gently picked him up and say him back down on his back. He worked carefully as he wiped Echo down and applied powder before strapping a clean diaper around the boy's waist.

Kace let out a long sigh, Echo's body was nothing more than a fleshy twig dressed in a hospital gown and a diaper. How he could someone let him get so bad? How could Echo just let himself go like this?

How could he make it better?

He wrapped the blanket back around the boy, tucking him in to keep him warm. Kace sat back in the chair by the window and thought. That was all he could really do right now.

So many things are wrong and I haven't the slightest clue on how to help. I'm here. I'll be here for as long as he needs me. But I don't know how to solve any of this. 

Echo, what am I gonna do?

Another sigh let him slouch back in the arm chair, head falling back into the top of it so he could look at the ceiling. That night had been something else. Every time he thought about it, Kace wondered what would have happened if he'd stayed. If he'd told Elliott that he could shut his mouth--He wasn't leaving!

But he didn't. He left. And now the only two people he really cared about we're paying for it. 

He felt a familiar pang of guilt thrash through his stomach. He took a deep breath, shoving the emotion down. Guilt gets you nowhere, he had to tell himself. Remember what happened last time?

He sat back up in the chair, slightly hungry and craving something salty. Kace stood up and walked to the door, looking over his shoulder to ensure Echo was asleep before walking down the hall and towards a vending machine. He feed the machine a few dollars, the familiar churn of macaninal parts grinding as the produced a small bag of peanuts and the man's change.

Kace pulled the bag out and leaned against the wall as he ate, watching people walk along the hall to other rooms. He was starting to understand Echo's dislike of hospitals. They were really creepy at night, when only a few pairs of footsteps could be heard and beeps from machines jumped up and down the halls.

"I hope we get out of here soon enough." Kace said to himself as he finished off the nuts and threw the bag in a trash can before returning to Echo's room.

 

It was three days before Echo was released from the hospital and allowed to return to the hotel under the understanding that he was to get plenty of rest and not strain his leg. Elliott had to wait another day for the media storm that stood outside the hospital to die down before he was snuck out the service entrance and back to the hotel.

It was a large ordeal, Kace wanting to see what the media was saying about what had happened, but not wanting to expose Echo. The boy didn't deserve to be invaded like that, and he certainly didn't deserve people digging into his background.

The team lawyers were doing everything they could to keep Echo out of news stories, claiming it was slander and invasion of privacy, but that didn't stop people from trying.

Kace mostly read the reports on his phone and Echo dozzed on the couch, curled up next to the older man. He hadn't been sleeping much at night, but wouldn't tell Kace why.

Most of the were headlined with something along the lined of: FOOTBALL STAR'S DAD GOES CRAZY or ELLIOTT SUMPTER ATTACKED!! BY HIS OWN FATHER. Kace had to keep from yelling at his phone as the told half truths and stretched stories.

One articular had read:

 

After a run in with his father Victor Sumpter, Elliott Sumpter, leading quarterback of the Thunderbird's, was admitted to the hospital in serious condition. His twin brother, Echo Sumpter, was in similar condition. Both men were released from the hospital after a week and will be returning home soon.

Victor Sumpter was admitted to a high security hospital with head injuries following the fight between him and his two sons. The cause of the fight is yet to be determined. 

Officer Right of the NYPD gave his statement saying, "Victor Sumpter violently attacked Elliott and Echo in pursue of money." After asked why the man needed money, the Right said, "We have yet to determine. However, he was under the influence of alcohol."

He had no other statement.

Kace took a deep breath and locked his phone, setting it on the arm of the couch and shifting Echo around so he could pick the boy up and take him to bed. It was late, and maybe he would sleep better.


	54. Chapter 54

"Can't sleep?" Elliott asked when he saw Kace on the couch looking at his phone.

Kace looked up, surprised by the man's presence. "Huh? Oh, uh, yeah. What about you? Shouldn't you be getting some rest?"

"Me? Ha! This is still early for me. Even with the scrambled brains." Elliott grabbed a bottle of water and cracked it open, taking a large swig. "What cha looking at on your phone?"

"Oh, just reading stuff." Kace locked his phone and sat it on the side of the couch.

"Man, you have to stop reading all that stuff online. If you don't ignore it, it'll get to you way too much." Elliott sat the bottle down and plopped down on the couch.

"But none of them are right. I need to know what they're saying so I know what to expect." Kace let out a sigh and stared at his phone. "Everything they're saying about you two is--"

"Wrong." Elliott cut him off. "All of it." He let out a sigh as well, but caught Kace's eyes and locked them so they couldn't move. "If you think I don't hate the way everyone is twisting this, then you're wrong. Echo is my brother. I don't even want him related to me when it comes to news because everything they say is so messed up that I wish I could punch every single one of them in the face. But right now, we just have to live with it."

Kace looked over at Elliott, his brow a tight knot. "I just... I can't stand it."

Elliott smiled at his friend. "That just means you're human." He patted Kace's shoulder. "But, if you don't stop stressing about it, Echo won't either."

"You think he's stressed from the news?" Kace asked, his earlier concern shifting to a new subject.

"No, I think he's stressed because you are. He's very in-tune to other's feelings. More than he lets on, anyway. If he thinks you're stressed, he will be too." Elliott smiled and stood up, grabbing his bottle from off the counter. "Just try not to worry about it so much. By the time we get home, another famous person will get caught doing something stupid and we'll be yesterday's news."

Kace nodded and watched as the man walked back to his room, closing the door.

If only that had been true. News stories flashes across TV and radios, headlining for networks looking for views. Most of them more curious about this twin brother that popped out of the woodwork more than anything. 

Elliott was constantly getting calls from teammates saying that some reporter had called him asking about the boys. Eventually, he had to turn off his phone. 

Pictures of the two at all ages flashed across screen; people could tune in to The Doctor to find out how identical twins weren't always identical; Victor's charges and future trail flash with question marks, everyone wanting to know what really happened.

Elliott had given his statement, claiming his brother was unfit to leave any comment. But that didn't stop police officers from asking.

Echo would cling to Kace with all his might, using the man as a human shield. He'd duck his head and hold onto Kace's shirt behind him whenever someone he didn't know came to the door. Nerves were high. And it was starting to show on all three men.

"We need to get home." Elliott said after four days of being unable to leave the hotel. You could see news crews from the large window that covered an entire wall.

"There's no way we're going to be able to take a plane again." Kace sighed. He'd been thinking the same thing. This wasn't good for any of them.

"I'm going to make some calls. See what out options are. It's going to be very difficult, but I think we can work something out." Elliott let out a sigh. "I've never seen them this bad."

"Comes with the jersey, I guess." Kace joke half-heartedly. He nudged Echo, who's eyes shoot up to the man. "I think we're all ready for the Glacier deserts again. The big apple just isn't cutting it."

"Well, it's probably a good thing we're not in Wisconsin. Imagine if they did cut it." Elliott joked. This got a few laughs around the room, bringing up the bleariness that had settled there.

They may have all been in their twenties, but fart jokes were classic crowd pleasers.

Echo leaned onto Kace, setting his head on the man's shoulder. "I'm just ready to go home."

"Me too, bud." Kace rushed the boy's hair. "Me too."

 

It was Luke who finally got the bright idea to rent a car and drive to a train station in Harrisburg, where they would buy tickets for a whole cabin and take that back to Salt Lake City, then rent another car and drive that back to the house in Glacier County. Elliott was so happy to hear the news he would have kissed the man on the mouth had he been standing in front of him and not on the phone. He rushed to tell Kace and Echo the news.

The two were settled on the bed, Echo leaning on Kace as they watched Netflix on the older's phone. It was one of the few ways Kace could help him get some sleep through the day.

"Guys, great news!" Elliott smiled.

Kace let out a sigh. If Elliott was this pumped, it was over something big. But that lent he would lose all of the peacefulness he'd been speeding so much time trying to work Echo into.

"What's up man?"

"We're going home!" He said, throwing his phone onto the bed. "Luke has it all planed out. But we have to leave in, like, ten minutes to get there on time. So pack your stuff! Let's get out of here!"

Echo jumped up, smiling at his brother and Kace, who both smiled back.

"Come on! Let's get packing." Kace smiled, forgetting about his earlier frustration.

Elliott rushed out of the room to go pack his bag, leaving Echo and Kace to do the same.


	55. Chapter 55

Kace rushed to pack their bags, most of their cloths being scattered around the room after staying for over a week. He sloppily folded shirts to have them fit better and jammed some of the diapers he had to have someone get earlier that week into the empty spaces. Echo picked up a few of the shirts and handed them to Kace before walking over to the door to find his shoes. Kace shoved the shirts into the bag and zipped it closed, grabbing for Echo's next to put the last few things in.

Echo came back with his shoes and sat on the edge of the bed as he worked his hand over the laces to tie them. He finished and looked around the room. He had kind of gotten used to it after so long, but he was happy to finally get to go home. Back to Jake who would bite off any reporter's foot if they came too close. And Leo, who would chase anything that moved.

"Ready to go, bud?" Kace asked behind him, lifting the bags to a more manageable position and throwing his back pack over his shoulder.

Echo nodded and gave the room one more glance over before the walked into the sitting area. Kace pulled out his phone to check the time as Elliott came out of his room and threw his duffle bag over his shoulder and smiling at them.

"Luke will be here in a minute. He's going to sneak us out of here some how. But I honestly don't care. I'm just ready to go." Elliott smiled and grabbed a bottle of water, handing one to Kace and Echo before closing the fridge. 

A few minutes later, a loud knock came on the door. Elliott rushed to answer it, yanking the door open to see Luke standing with a shopping bag in his hand.

"You guys ready?" He asked with a smile.

"More than, I think." Kace smiled, holding out a hand to shake with the man.

Luke happily accepted, then held up the bag. "This is how we're going to get you guys out of here." He said, face straight.

Elliott eyed the bag as Luke pulled out a few pairs of clothes, including pants. "What's all this?"

"The media wants to see Elliott and Echo walking out of the hotel. So, they're looking for two men walking out. They, however, are not looking for--"   
He holds up a button down pinstriped shirt and gray slacks. "--A man in his seventies and--" Another outfit is pulled out, this one a pair of overalls with a bear face stitched on the front to form a pocket and a long sleeved green shirt. "--An elementary school kid." 

Elliott looked from the clothes to Luke. "Dude..."

"Look, I know it sounds weird, but it's going to work. Those reporters are so focused on seeing two men with blond hair walk out that they've been passing up every other person who walks through the door. All you have to do is not look like yourselves." Luke held up a gray golfing hat to Elliott. "So just trust me."

Elliott's lips were in a tight line with thought. He wanted to get out of this place, but was dressing his brother like that in public really going to work? "Well, It's not like we have any other planes" He grabbed the hat from Luke and popped it on his head. "How do I look?"

"Perfect." Luke smiled, handing him the rest of his out fit. He held out the other one for Echo, who was hesitant to take it.

"Thanks man." Kace said, taking the cloths and gently pushing Echo back towards to the room.

Once inside with the door closed, Echo looked at Kace. "Does everyone think I'm just a little kid?"

"Yes." Kace said seriously. "Because that's what you're supposed to be."

"Do you think he know about... This?" Echo asked, gesturing towards his padded butt.

"I don't think he'd care even if he did. Luke is a cool guy. He's one of those people that just wants people to be happy." Kace smiled, pulling up on Echo's shirt to get him out of it. "Kind of like you."

Echo let out a sigh of relief. He really didn't want to worry about this too much. All of this stress was turning his stomach into one big knot.

Kace pushed the green sweater over Echo's head and started working with the boy's pants as he shoved his arms through the sleeves. He was extra careful around the boy's leg, which was still wrapped in an ace bandage with gauze underneath to keep it from getting infected. He took the same care as he helped the boy into the overalls, having to cuff the bottoms because they were just a little too long.

Echo snapped the shoulder straps closed and looked down at himself. He really did look like a little kid. And he kind of liked it. He smiled up at Kace, hand over the bear-head pocket.

Kace was surprised by the smile, Echo's first in a while. He smiled back, hugging the boy close before stepping back out to the sitting room and looking over at Kace and Elliott.

"You guys ready?" Luke asked.

"Yup!" Echo smiled, Kace nodding behind him.

"Alright. Mission: Let's Get Home is now in motion!" Luke sayd, opening the door for the men to walk out into the hall.


	56. Chapter 56

Echo took hold of Kace's hand as they walked down the hall, grabbing the man's hand tightly in fear. He pulled on the seem of the overall's, a nervous habit he'd never really understood. He did like the overall's, the bear was cute and it did make him feel more the part of a "little," but it was odd to be dressed like this in public.

Elliott was having a similar feeling, dressing as an old man wasn't really something he though he would have to do for another thirty years. But he was ready to do anything so long as it got everyone home.

Luke pressed the button for the bottom floor, looking over his friends. Elliott looked too buffed to be an old man, but so long as no one paid too close attention, it wouldn't be a problem. Echo, on the other hand, really did look just like a little kid. And him holding onto Kace's hand really sold it. 

Luke knew about Kace's preferences, and couldn't help but wonder if there was something more going on between the two then the let on.

The elevator dinged and they stepped out of the glass box, walking towards the front door. Echo tensed up, almost unable to move when he saw the mob of people standing outside, at the ready with cameras and microphones. Some of them were even filming.

Luke stopped at the service desk to check them out, taking over for Elliott. He handed the keys over to the lady, who smiled and wished them a good day.

"Come on, bud." Kace said to Echo. They had stopped with Luke and Echo didn't seem able to move again. When the boy didn't make a move, Kace leaned down for a second. "It'll be okay. No one's even going to know it's you."

Echo shook his head, taking his eyes off the glass doors for a second to look at Kace. "There's a lot of them." He said through a tight throat. It was closing quickly and breathing was becoming difficult.

"Don't worry about them. Come on." Kace stood up, bringing Echo with him.

Echo was unsure of what to do and he was easily picked off the floor and placed on the man's hip.  
"Just put you face on my shoulder, okay. Then you won't even have to see them." Kace whispered.

Echo nodded, and happily tucked his face in between Kace's shoulder and neck. He could feel them moving, getting closer to the door and then through it.

It was loud, the many bodies giving off lots of noise. Echo held onto Kace for dear life as the man made his way down the stairs and away from the crowd of people.

Elliott could see what Kace was doing, taking away Echo' ability to walk made it much easier to do things he didn't nessisarily want to. Like walking through a large crowd. He had to smile at Kace's craftiness. When he looked back to glance at the crowd of people, he smiled at Luke. The clothes had worked. They'd gotten out unnoticed.

"It's amazing what a different shirt and the way you hold yourself will do." Luke smiled.

"Seriously." Elliott laughed. "I can't believe this worked."

"Yeah, now, all you have to do it keep it up for the next two days until we get back home. I'm going to be doing all the transactions, rent the car and getting food and stuff, so all you have to do is stay in character." Luke said, pulling out a pair of keys. He clicked the fob button and walked to a silver SUV. He pulled open and door and held it open for Kace and Echo, walking to the other side to jump into the car himself.

Elliott claimed shotgun and strapped himself in as Luke started up the car.

Once Kace worked Echo into the car and strapped him in, he got himself situated and looked out the front window. It was nice to be out side for a bit.

Luke worked his way through traffic, the only sound coming from the radio as everyone found a comfortable spot to stair out a window. The luggage rumbled around in the back as Luke turned a corner and sped up, finally jumping on the interstate to head south-west.

"Hey man, do you think there'll be time to get something to eat before we hope on the train?" Kace asked. They'd been living off of mini-bar snacks and room service for a while. Real food sounded nice

"Yeah, we should be able to do that. Anything in particular you want?" Luke asked the review mirror

"How about a sandwich? Do the have Jimmy John's out here?" Kace asked. 

"Yeah, a few of them. I'll look for one on our way."

"Cool, thanks." Kace went back to starring out the window, dozing along the way. He's hoped that Echo would too, but he seemed too high on nerves to sleep. Kace reached out his hand, taking hold of Echo's. 

Echo looked over at Kace, more in wonder of the hand holding than anything. Not that he didn't want the man too, he always had a way of bringing Echo back down to earth. It was only then that Echo noticed he was no longer dry. He shifted his legs, sitting up straighter.

Kace noticed right away, mad at himself for not seeing it until now. 

"Hey, do you think we could do a pit stop. Gotta spring a leak." Kace asked.

"Yeah, I'll get off at the next exit." Luke replied, turning on his blinker to change lanes.

A few minutes later, Luke pulled up to a rest stop, throwing the car in park and the two men climbed out from the back and headed toward the bathrooms, Kace slinging his backpack over his shoulder

Echo had forgotten he was dressed like a little kid as he walk on ahead, wanting to get out of the wet diaper imeaditly. Sadly, there was a line to both the men's and family bathroom, mom's waiting with their kids.

One lady, a tall woman with a baby resting on her hip smiled at Kace, waving a small bit. She stood in line at the family bathroom.

"Kids. Seems like they have to go to the bathroom every ten minutes, huh?" She laughed.

Kace had to take a second before he realized the woman was talking to him. "Oh, yeah," he laughed nervously. 

The lady glanced down at Echo, who shifted nervously behind the older man. He didn't like this woman. She seemed nosey.

A person walked out of the bathroom and the lady now stood in the front of the line, Kace and Echo behind her.

"Mine never seem to want to keep their seat belts on either." She rolled her eyes jokingly. "How about you?"

"He's not too bad." Kace smiled. "Just a quick stop and them were back on the road."

"Oh, we're you guys heading?" She probed.

"Uh, Salt Lake City." He lied

"Wow, that'll be quite a drive." The lady said, eyebrows raised. She shifted the baby on her hip.

"Yeah, but I think we'll be fine." Kace hoped this would soon be over.

The lady glanced at Echo one more time, realizing the boy had a rather inflated private area. "Oh. Oh, I see. I'm sorry. I totally get it though."

Now Kace was lost. "What?"

"The diapers. It's a good idea for long trips. Keeps them from going in the car and having to stop so much." The lady smiled. "My boy is about that age. In the other bathroom with his father. Do the same thing if the man would let me."

Echo's eyes opened wide, searching Kace's face before ducking between the man's legs.

"Uh, yeah." Was all Kace could think to say. He felt bad for the boy, being pointed out like that.

"Well, you two just go on ahead of us. This one can wait another ten minutes. Don't want to keep the little guy waiting for too long." The lady smiled and move to the side, letting Kace and Echo move ahead of her.

"That's offly nice, thank you." Kace smiled, pulling Echo with him into the bathroom as the people came out.

Kace locked the door before placing his backpack on the floor and opening it to pull out a diaper.

"How could she tell?" Echo asked, horrified.

"She's a mom. It's what she does. Now, come on, let's get you changed." Kace waited as Echo sat down on the floor and leaned back, letting Kace work his way around the buckles to change him.

When Kace reached into the bag, he expected to find Echo's folded blanket blocking his way to the diapers. But that wasn't the case. "Did you pack Snuggie in your suit case?" He asked, pulling out a diaper.

Echo shook his head no, idly chewing on his fingers.

"Oh. Then where did you put it?" Kace probed on, pulling Echo's pants down to access the diaper. 

"I threw it away." Echo said flatly.

Kace stopped, thinking he'd heard wrong. "What?"

"I threw it away." Echo repeated. "It was stupid and I didn't like it."

Kace sat back, trying to figure out why the by would do that. "But you loved that blanket."

Echo just shook his head, trying to push back hot tears. "I didn't want it anymore."

Kace knew it was making the boy upset, but he pushed on. "Why, bud?"

The tears were falling before Echo had the chance to push them down. "I didn't want him to know I still had it." Echo cried. He wiped them away with the back of his hand.

"Buddy," Kace started. Echo looked even younger than normal as he sat crying on the floor, half undressed. "He doesn't control you anymore, okay. No one does."

Echo nodded. "I know, I know that he can't hurt me and I know he can't hurt Elli, but I just didn't want any part of him around anymore. I can't stand it." He took a gasp of air, talking through tears.

Kace to that moment to pull Echo off the floor and into his lap, hugging him close. "Alright, fair enough. But don't lose a part of yourself trying to get rid of him."

Echo nodded, wiping away the last few tears and he owned on Kace's chest.

Kace could tell the boy was exhausted, and laid him back down, making quick work of the change before stepping back out to the hallway and making his way towards the car. Echo didn't let go of the man's hand until they were back at the car and even then, when they were in the back seat, Echo leaned over onto him, placing his head on the man's lap.

Luke and Elliott were back in the car soon enough and they were back on the road.

Echo's hand had somehow found it's way to his face, thumb planted firmly into his mouth. Kace rubbed the boy's hair for the next hour of the trip, happy that the boy was finally getting some sleep.


	57. Chapter 57

When they arrived at the station, Luke put the car and park and called a number on his phone, telling some unknown person to pick it up, then hopping out the driver's door. Elliott, happy to finally stretch his legs, jumped out quickly and went around back to grab the suitcases.

"Now grandpa, there's no need to do that. Let your two sons help you." Luke said with a look in his eye that dared Elliott to challenge him.

Elliott glared. He knew it was important to keep up with the disguises, but he could carry his own bag. "I think I can carry mine at least." He said.

"Alright, just don't strain yourself." That part wasn't an act. Luke meant every word. The last thing he needed was for one of Elliott's many injuries to be made worse.

Elliott took his duffle bag and swung it around his shoulder, waiting for Echo and Kace to get out. His twin really did look like a little kid in that get-up. Not that he didn't look like a little kid in the first place, but the clothes helped.

"Ready?" Kace asked the group.

Luke and Elliott nodded, closing the hatch and making a beeline for the entrance. 

"Hey, what's a train ride like?" Echo asked, careful to keep his voice where only Kace could hear it.

Kace hadn't really thought of it before, but Echo had never been on a train before. "Well, it's intend of like a really long roller coaster. But without all the loops and stuff."

"I've never been on a roller coaster." Echo said, eyes wide in fear. He's seen videos before and it looked scary. "Too short."

"Oh," Kace stopped for a second, trying to think of a better answer. "Okay, try this. It's like a car, but a little bumpier and a lot longer."

That sounded really boring to Echo; much better than a roller coaster. 

They walked into the station and kept their heads down as Luke picked up their tickets and they boarded the large contraption. Echo was happy that no one was looking at him, because he was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to take it otherwise. Kace didn't say it'd be this big.

Kace looked down at the boy and grabbed his hand, squeezing it lightly. "It's okay, I promise." He smiled and they walked up the platform and onto the train.

Echo was stuck between Elliott and Kace who walked slowly to a cabin and grabbed the seats. Luke closed the doors and looked over at the three. "Already halfway there." He smiled.

"Yeah, so long as we can make it across the country without getting caught in the next few days." Elliott said under his breath.

"We'll be fine. Just have to be smart." Luke said. "And there will be some stops, so we'll get to see some fun stuff too." Luke smiled over at Echo.

The cabin wasn't very large, but it wasn't tiny either. And considering it held two very buff men comfortably with a slightly less buff man and a person the size of a child, it really wasn't that bad. The seats were padded, a blessing for Elliott's back. The windows were large bay style with two smaller windows off to the side that opened.

Luke explained that the train was pretty old, but the company that owned it too good care of it and kept it in good repair. It could go about 60 miles per hour, which, for its time, was almost light speed.

"How do you know so much about trains?" Elliott asked when Luke took a breath.

"Oh, I just have a lot of spare time." He smiled, then turned his head back to looking out the window.

Echo did the same and they sat in silence until the train steam yelled out and they were off. Echo held onto Kace's hand, scared at first, but eventually let go when he was sure they weren't going to crash.

The rest of the day carried on the same way, Echo falling asleep halfway through and sleeping the whole way. Kace hadn't even realize he'd fallen asleep until he woke up and saw that Elliott was leaning against the cabin wall and Luke was limp against the window, both out cold.

He watched the sun fade away as day turned way to night and the first day of their trip was over. They'd be stoping sometime tomorrow, and they would have a few hours overlay there. Then another stop again, later at night, that would only be about half an hour.

Kace drifted off once again, happily twisting Echo's curls around his finger.


	58. Chapter 58

Leo jumped onto the couch and found a spot where the sun came through and warmed the fabric, snuggling right up. It had been a long few days since his boy had been home. He missed the kid, not that if anyone asked he would say so. Jake even seemed a little down about not seeing his owner. 

There was Gracie, who Elliott had come over to take care of them. But she wasn't the same. She was nice, and took good care of the two animals, but Leo found it wasn't the same as having his boy here to nudge and meow at for food.

He let out a small sigh and hoped back up, jumping off the couch and landing lightly on the floor. He meowed for Jake, who was laying in the hall right next to the stairs.

"What do you think happened?" Jake asked, looking at the door.

"How are we to know. At least we know they're okay. We'd be on a one way trip to the pound if not." Leo said, jumping over the dog and onto the first step. 

"Don't act like you're not worried, cat." Jake growled. He stood up, took a few steps in a circle and laid back down in the same spot.

Leo sighed. He was scared. "I thought you knew me better."

They sat for a while like that, looking longingly at the door. Leo kept counting in his head, trying to see what his lucky number was. So far, several hundred into counting, he still hasn't found it.

A knock came on the door followed but the clinking of keys and the knob turning. Jake bounced up and started barking as Gracie walked in and smiled.

"Sorry guys," she smiled sadly, patting Jake on the head in hopes of calming him down. "Still just me."

Leo let out a sigh and stood up to walk back to his boy's room. This was the longest week and a half of his life. And he was only two months old.

He jumped up onto the boy's bed, snuggling into his pillow. Cats weren't known for having good noses like dogs, but Leo liked to think that Jake was wearing off on him. He could smell the boy's sent on the pillows and sheets as he laid his head down. He closed his eyes and thought.

If something had gone wrong, Gracie wouldn't be here, he though. She'd be with his and Jake's person. So the fact that she was here meant something wasn't wrong. But the cat's stomach gave him a bad feeling.

"Come home soon." Leo thought, closing his eyes.

Jake was down stairs, watching as Gracie picked up the ringing phone.

"Hello?" She asked tenitivly. 

"Gracie?" Elliott's voice asked softly.

"Elliott! Oh my gosh! Are you okay! You were supposed to be home days ago!" She was mad at her boyfriend, but concern took over. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Please don't worry." Elliott said. He was smiling lightly, something that could be heard in his voice over the phone. "I guess the News hasn't hit the west coast yet, huh?"

"What news? Elliott, what happened?" Gracie held the receiver with both hands, worry lines growing on her forehead with each passing second.

"I got in to a bit of a... Dispute with a man. I'm okay, I promise. Just a bit of brain scrambling."

"Elliott! Oh my god! Are you okay? I coming to New York now!" Gracie said, already reaching for her keys.

"No, no. Gracie, you have to stay there. I'm still in the hospital, but we'll be home soon." Elliott took a second to listen to the other line and make sure the woman was listening. "You have to take care of Jake and Leo and the house."

Gracie sighed and sat her keys down. "Elliott--"

"Gracie, I'm okay. We're all fine and we'll be home. Soon. I promise."

"I don't like the thought of you being there alone. In a hospital, no less. Are Kace and Echo with you?" Gracie sat down at the island in Echo's normal seat right in the middle.

"Yeah, Echo was with me when it happened. I'll explain it all when we get home." 

There was a silence over the line as they both thought. "You promise?"

"I'd never make a promise I couldn't keep." Elliott smiled at himself. 

"You'd better not!" Gracie half laughed. "Don't keep me waiting."

"I won't." Elliott wait a few more seconds before saying, "Gracie, I love you. See you soon."

Elliott hung up the phone before Gracie had the chance to register what he had said. "You big dolt!" She yelled at the empty phone. "Go and get yourself hurt and won't tell me anything! You better make it home!"

She slammed the phone back onto its dock and sat down next to Jake, rubbing his head. She gave the dog a hug and spoke into his fur. "Love you too. Be safe."


	59. Chapter 59

They woke up as the train rolled into the station, the breaks screeching in protest as they reached the platform.

"I'm not really sure about getting off." Luke said hesitantly.

Elliott looked at the man like he grew a third head. "Why?"

"Well, there's a chance you'll be recognized! And if that happens, we really won't have any chance of getting back to Glacier." Luke looked out the window at the platform full of people.

"Well, there's more than one reason we need to get off. If we're going to keep up this act, we're going to need another set of clothes and some other things." Kace said, looking over at Echo as he rubbed his eyes and yawned, to tired to care about what the others were saying.  
All of their spare "protection" was in the larger luggage with was in the back cab along with everyone else's. 

Echo liked sleeping on Kace this much. The man was always warm and had a way of pushing all of Echo's nervousness away until he just drifted off. And Kace liked that the boy was catching up on some much needed sleep.

Luke let out a sigh. "Okay, but only for a few things. And all in cash. And we're back in an hour."

"That should be plenty of time." Kace smiled, picking up the still sleepy (and very wet) boy and carrying him off the train, backpack throw over his shoulder as he looked for a bathroom.

He fond one right off the main platform and figured it as good a place as any. He quickly sat Echo down and changed him on the, luckily, clean floor. When he had Echo redressed, he picked the boy back up and walked out of the bathroom.

There was a conveyance store just across the street from the station and Kace hoped they would have some kind of padding that Echo could use. Just for the trip. He walked through the isles but didn't find any adult diapers. Not even Depends or an off brand. Kace didn't much like using store ones, the ones you could get online worked much better, but he needed something.

He adjusted the boy in his arms and walked to the baby isle, looking at the diapers there.

"Why are we in the baby isle?" Echo asked, looking around at all the rattles and bottles. Echo knew the part he was supposed to play, but he figured five or six was the youngest he could look. Not two.

"They don't have any other diapers. We're just going to have to see what they have here. If not, we run the risk of running out while in the middle of nowhere." Kace sat the boy down and picked up a pair of Pampers size seven's and held them up. "These might work."

Echo eyed them for a second. "But they're for babies."

Kace sighed. He'd had to think of an argument. "Well, isn't that what you are? You're going to be my baby boy, remember. You said you'd try it."

Now it was Echo's turn to sigh. Kace was right. "Alright, so long as they... Hold."

Kace nodded and smiled and picked the boy back up, carrying him to the check out counter after grabbing a few sippy cups and a pacifier on his way, Echo not even noticing the man's extra items until later. 

"Can I get a toy?" Echo asked as they passed the toy isle.

Kace shrugged. Echo had been good the past few days, if not a little stressed. Maybe he deserved one. "Yeah. But just one." 

Echo smiled as Kace sat him down and ran off to look around. It took him some time, but he decided on a baby monkey that you could bottle feed. He held it up to Kace for his approval.

"That what you want?" Kace asked tentatively. I was kind of a girls pet. Fur-Real-Friends weren't really targeted towards boys. But Echo nodded and smiled. "Alright. Come on then. We got to get back to the train."

They checked out and made their way back to the station and onto the train. Kace and Echo were the first ones back to the cabin, and Kace took the time to stash the diapers into his backpack and was getting to the other stuff as Luke and Elliott walked in.

Luke saw everything laid out and looked at Kace questioning before he glanced at Echo. "Oh, I get it." He laughed. "Part of the guise. Good idea."

"Yeah." Kace said, sighing a bit. He'd rather not explain this. As much as he was sure Luke wouldn't really care, he'd really did not want to do it right now. "You guys have any luck with the clothes?"

"Oh, yeah. They're not the best, but they'll work." Luke said, handing Kace a bag.

The man dug through it to find a pair of short overall's with an animated dog face on the front and a shirt to match.

"Paw Patrol!" Echo laughed when he saw it. "That's Chase!" 

Luke let out a laugh. "Yeah, it's really big here apparently. Was on sale, too."

"Cool!" Echo smiled.

Kace put the bag into his growing backpack. "Alright, then we should be set."

"Yeah, the train's going to be off here soon." Luke said, taking his seat and leaning back with a sigh. "We'll be home in no time at all!"

Kace nodded and looked over at Echo as he went back to his baby monkey, happily playing. Everyone was ready to be home.


	60. Chapter 60

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Accidentally uploaded the wrong chapter! (Thank you, dude that pointed that out)   
> This is the real one!

Echo kept himself occupied as Elliott browsed through news on his phone, letting out a low hiss every now and then. Kace was doing the same, but decided to go for a simple Facebook browse until he hit the bottom of new posts and switched over to a game. Luke stared out the window and over at the other men, trying to figure out how they could be so calm.

Luke was never know to be a stresser, but something like this was very hard to plan and organize. And the fact that, after all of this, something could go wrong was not sitting well. He let out a slow breath, trying to calm his nerves and looked out the window as the hills of Appalachia gave way to corn fields and soy plains. A tractor was pulling up soil and turning it, a trick he knew was to keep good top soil.

"Looks like they're getting ready for the swap." Echo said, putting down his monkey to look out the window for a second.

"Swap?" Luke asked. The other men where too zones out to realize there was sound being made.

"Yeah. You see, Corn takes all the good stuff out of the soil. And soy putts good stuff into the soil. So, every few years, farmers have to rotate their crops. 'Else we'd have a Great Depression Part 2." Echo smiled.

"I remember hearing something about that in school. How the dirt went bad or something. And Farmers were sitting on tons of crops but they all just rotted away." Luke watched at the tractor turned and started again on another row.

"Yeah! They didn't know to do that then because, before World War one, crops weren't really made to that amount. They didn't rotate and the ground went bad. Didn't help that that year was a locust year, either." Echo shivered at the thought.   
"They're just hungry grasshoppers, but when there's no food, they turn into nasty flying creatures that eat everything in sight."

"You like history?" Luke asked. The kid sure did know his stuff.

"Eh, its okay. I don't mind it, but I just pick up a lot of information." Echo turned his head and went back to his monkey. 

Luke went back to the window and watched as farm after farm and field after field flew by. It was pretty interesting. Out in Glacier, whatever wasn't a city was desert and didn't grow anything but tumbleweed.

After some time, Echo curled back up to Kace, arm wrapped around the monkey and hand oddly close to his mouth. Kace grabbed his hoddie and tossed it over the boy, hoping it would keep him warm. He leaned back himself and closed his eyes.

He woke up to a hand slapping his thigh a few hours later. Kace cracked his eyes and looked over at Elliott.

"Ah, He's alive. Hey man, you want anything to eat?" Elliott asked.

Kace looked out the window to see the sun low in the flame colored sky. "How late is it?"

"About eight. The food cart is coming around soon. I figured we could all get a sandwich or something." Elliott said, pulling out his wallet and a few bucks.

Kace rubbed his eyes, moving just enough to wake Echo. "Yeah, sounds good. How long until the next stop?"

"About half an hour." Luke said, checking his watch.

Echo sat up and yawned, trying not to hit towards his most recent accident. The padding was wet and squishy under his butt, but he didn't want the others to know that. "Ham. Black forest. Honey ham is nasty." 

Kace laughed. Kid had been up for a few seconds and was already shouting out his order. "Alright, bud." He could see the noticeable inflation of the boy's area, but thought better than to say something here. "Why don't we go stretch our legs on the train for a bit. I'm sure Elliott and Luke can get us something we like."

Echo looked over at Kace annoyed. He didn't really feel like moving, but maybe it would be fun. "Okay."

Kace waited until Luke was occupied before pulling one of the pampers out of his backpack and sliding it into his hand, gently pushing Echo out of the cabin. "Alright, We'll be back soon."

"Okay. Be safe." Elliott replied, knowing exactly what was happening.

Kace led Echo to another empty cabin and pulled the shade down, locking the door. Without so many people in the small space, it was easier to hear the wheels grinding on the tracks, clanking the whole time and shaking the cabin.

"Alright, let's get you changed." Kace smiled, gestering for Echo to lay down.

"But--How did you know?" Echo asked, concerned. He thought he had hid it really well.

"Wouldn't have been able to had I not been looking for it. Come on." Kace said, waiting for the boy to do as he was told.

Echo unstrapped the shoulder straps and let them fall, then laid down so Kace could do his thing. It was a quick change and Echo looked down before pulling his overalls back up.

"These are way babyish." He moaned.

"Well, then they'll do just fine. Besides, its not like anyone's going to see them. They're just a precision. You could always use the bathroom." Kace said. He didn't want to push Echo into the diapers. Even if the boy seemed like he didn't mind didn't mean he really didn't care.

Echo blushed and finished strapping the overalls. "No, its okay. This is part of the thing, right. the thing that's supposed to help me?"

Kace smiled and nodded. "Yeah, it is. It's just to help put you in a different mind set. I'll be a lot easier once we get home."

Echo sighed and wiggled his legs a bit to get used to the felling of the new diapers. He really just hoped that they would be home sooner rather than later.


	61. Chapter 61

The next stop only lasted thirty minutes, enough time for Luke to run to a convince store and buy a few blankets for the night. It was warm outside, but the cab was well cooled and their inability to move beyond changing positions wasn't helping keep them warm. He was back in the cabin just as the train started to take off.

He passed out the blankets and took his seat, eyes darting across the dark landscape as the train trudged on. The car had fallen silent, even with Elliott's normal snoring, it seemed... Eerie. 

"You okay, man?" Kace asked as all the color drained from Luke's face.

"Huh?" Luke asked, head snapping back into the real world. "Oh, yeah, just thinking."

"About what?" Kace pushed on.

"Uh, nothing really. Just not a big fan of weird places in the dark." Luke let out a nervous laugh and turned his head.

Kace gave a small smile and reached over, pulling a string on the blinds to drop them. "Better?" He asked.

Luke gave a small smile. "Yeah, thanks." He didn't really like sharing his uncomfortableness, but he hadn't thought to pull he blinds down. It did help.

"We should probably get some sleep." Kace tossed one of the blankets at the man and adjusted his position, getting a small whine from Echo.

Echo opened his eyes to the lit cabin and looked around. "Are we there yet?" He asked, though, in his groggy state, it sounded more like, "A' we der 'et?"

Kace nodded no as Echo's eyes started closing once more, arm gripping tighter to the monkey as his thumb slipped into his mouth.

"He's really dedicated to his part, huh?" Luke laughed, wrapping the blanket around himself and slouching in his seat more, head against the window.

"Yeah." Kace smiled and looped the boy's curls around his fingers and closed his eyes. 

The next day was relatively uneventful as the train continued on the tracks, chugging the whole way. Elliott kept up with the news on his phone when he could find service, reading headlines such as TWINS STILL LOST and THUNDERBIRD ATTACKER TO FACE PROSECUTION. Each story came with pictures, both of Elliott and Echo, and of Victor. He now had mugshots that the media had somehow gotten ahold of. He was still bloody, his bottom lip swollen around a cut and one of his eyes swollen shut. His thinning, wispy gray hair spewed out from his head in every direction, making him look like he stuck a fork into an electrical outlet and didn't let go.

Kace laughed a bit at that. He looked up to see Elliott doing the same, the sun shinning through the window and onto the side of his face. He stared intently at his phone, swiping up every few seconds to continue his reading.

"You seeing all this?" Kace asked with a sigh.  
Elliott nodded, but didn't look up.

Kace looked back at his phone where several comparison pictures showed Elliott and Echo, ranging from when they were about four until they were ten. "It's crazy how easy it is to find someone's school pictures now-a-days." He sighed, hitting the home button and locking his phone, sliding it back into his pocket.

Elliott wished it wasn't true, but knew otherwise. Anyone could find anything on the internet if they tried hard enough. As crazy as it was, anyone could buy a yearbook on eBay from any school. So long as someone was selling.

He read the next article that came up, a picture of Elliott in his jersey at the top. The article was mostly about how they had snuck out of the hospital without anyone knowing. Even the team, who would normally love the media storm, was keeping quiet about where he was. Or, in this case, where he was going.

Kace let out a sigh and followed Elliott as he locked his phone and slid it back in his pocket, looking over to the window. The next stop wasn't all that far off, and they all needed the chance to stretch their legs.

When it finally did pull into the station, Kace almost had to tie a rope around Echo with the amount he was jumping around. They stepped off the train and into the humid, dimming day. Clouds had grown without any of the men noticing and rain seemed to be a question of when, not if. Night was close by, the clouds making it even darker, but the streets seemed completely alive with lights and people.

"We should stick together this time." Luke said over the busily station. People's footsteps clacked on the floors and music was coming from a street performer just outside. "We'll have some time to look around for a few hours, but we should still play it safe."

Elliott nodded, adjusting the gray wig on his head and pulling his pants up. "Sounds good."

Echo jumped up and down, looking around at booths that lined the streets and shops with things in the windows off all different colors. "This is so cool!" He smiled, running over to a candy booth and looking at a jar full of jelly beans.

Kace sighed and took ahold of Echo's hand. "Please don't run off, okay." He said.

Echo nodded his head and pointed to a sucker wrapped in clear plastic with the words candy apple in white bubble text, standing out against the red sucker. "Can I, please?"

Kace thought. Echo really didn't need the sugar, but maybe it would be good burn all of his energy while they were off the train so he could crash on the last leg towards home. "How much?" He asked the older man behind the counter.

"A dollar for two." The man smiled in that kind way that only older people could do.

Kace smiled and pulled out a dollar and some change. "Just one." Kace eyed the boy as he pulled the sucker off the stand and picked at the plastic.

"Sixty cents." The man smiled.

Kace handed over what was in his hand, whispering, "Keep it." Before he put a hand on Echo's back and led him away from the stands and back to their group.

They walked along, Echo happily eating his sucker as they browsed one store after the other. They found themselves wondering through one store with overpriced trinkets, just to look around and joked , pulling magnets with funny quotes and phrases printed on them, saying, "This one's perfect for you!" or, "This would look great on your fridge!"

The men would laugh at each new item and comment that went along with it. Kace spotted a superman shield on a shirt that read, "I had a super time in Kansas City!" Kace let out a one syllable laugh, turning to show Echo.

Only, Echo wasn't there. 

Kace's brow furrowed, eyes scanning the area around him, then the store, thinking the boy had just walked off in the store. But he didn't see any of the tell-tale blonde curls or overall's.

"Echo!" He shouted, heart picking up pace.

Elliott turned his head at Kace's sudden yelling. "Dude, what's up?"

"It's Echo!" Kace said, close to hysterics. "He's gone."

Elliott felt his face turn tight. He knew better than to think his brother had just wondered off. Echo clung to people he knew when thrown into a new place. He scanned the room but didn't see any sign of his twin. "Luke, we need to find Echo." He said, nudging the man to get his attention.

The man placed his things down and nodded, following the other men to the door of shop. They didn't know what had happened, but it couldn't have been good.


	62. Chapter 62

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhhhhhhhhh!  
> Freaking 2k views! That's awesome, guys!!! Love!

Echo followed Kace closely, careful to never be more than a few feet away as they joked back and forth. He didn't like being in new places without holding onto Kace's hand, but knew better than to do that right in front of Luke. So he kept his hand to himself and looked out the window.

Three boys stood on a corner, laughing at something on the ground. They couldn't have been much past middle school, their hight matching Echo's and then some, but their voices still slightly higher pitched. 

He thought nothing of the group until something moved on the ground, nothing more than a small shadow in the early evening dimness. Echo squinted, unaware as he men moved onto the next section, leaving him behind.

He watched as the small form stood and a tail popped up. Even from here, Echo could hear the poor thing wimped and growl at the same time.  
"Stop." He said lightly, horrified as one of the boys lifted his leg. "Stop!" He yelled, running out of the store and onto the the street.

Cars honked at him and his body was shooting with pain from the still healing leg, but Echo didn't care. All that mattered right now was getting those... Those Monsters away from that animal.  
"STOP!" He yelled, getting closer. "STOP IT! LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

He could see as one of the boy's heads snapped up and leered at the fast approaching voice. "Looks like we've got a hero, guys." He laughed to the others.

Echo was only a few yards away now and getting closer. "Leave him alone, you jerks!" He screamed, stepping between the boys and the animal on the ground.

"He's just a little kid!" One laughed

"Wouldn't be hard to turn him to grape juice!" Another suggested.

"Of course, if he walked away right now and let us finish, we might think other wise." The last boy, clearly the leader, said. He had a look on his face that wanted blood, and a lot of it.

But Echo wasn't turned away. "How about I shove my fist so far up your ass, you're eating knuckle sandwich for a week!" This was a line he'd once heard Elliott say long ago, and he was glad he remembered it.

The boys ohh'd and ahh'd sarcastically. "Shrimp's got a tong." The first boy laughed.

"Guess he thinks he's something big." The second one chimed in.

The first boy took a second to think. "I say we do him and the dog." His voice was pure evil, no sign of a soul what-so-ever.

The boys laughed and Echo could feel his stomach drop to his feet. His next movements couldn't have even been conceded thoughts, his body taking over as he pulled on the dog and took off between two of the boys and into the ally, towards the next street.

He knew he wouldn't be able to keep the dog with him the whole way, try as he might. His body just wasn't that strong. Even if the dog was small, he was too. When he turned a corner onto another street, he took a second to set the dog down in a box before jumping back up and running once more.

His adrenaline high was wearing off quick, and the boys were catching up, only making Echo panic more. They were shouting at him, laughing, and Echo couldn't help but feel his stomach drop as he realized that this was all a game for them. His life didn't matter, only their amusement.

Echo's legs were giving out and his heart was beating too fast for his body to handle, making it feel like it was ready to rip out of his chest. He ran for another corner, one foot hitting the ground with a splash as a hand grasped his arm and yanked him back.

"Got you now," the leader smeared, throwing Echo to the wet pavement. "What do you think we should do to him boys?"

Echo's head hit the sidewalk. Hard. But he stayed conscious for every crackle that escaped the boy's mouths. "Le--leave me alone!" Echo tried to yell at them, only getting more laughs.

"I don't know, guys. Should we leave him alone?" The leader asked. There was a moment of silence as they thought.

"Nah." They all agreed loudly. 

One grabbed Echo's foot and another grabbed his arm, lifting him up off the ground. Echo kicked against the boys as hands grabbed each limb and started moving towards an unknown destination.  
Rain started falling, just small droplets at first, but quickly growing into large rain drops that soaked all the boys. But it didn't slow them down.

"Put me down!" Echo yelled, throwing his whole body around as best he could, but the boys where just too strong. His heart was jumping in his chest as Echo kicked, landing one good swipe at a thigh.   
A boy cried out in pain, squeezing Echo's still-raw leg and causing him to see spots.

"Drop him!" A voice rang out.

The night seemed to still as the boys stopped harassing Echo and stared at the figure in the shadows.

"What are you going to do about it, old man!" A boy yelled out.

"Put that young man down now, or I'll tell all of your suprovisers what you've been doing when you're supposed to be working. I'm sure they'd all like to hear about what's in that chest under the station." The man posed.

The boy's grunted. If the gezzer did that, they'd all be back in Juvy.

"Whatever." The leader snorted, throwing Echo's right foot to the ground. The other boy's followed, releasing all of his limbs until he was a pile of flesh on the wet ground.

The old man waited until they had walked off, feet splashing into small puddles with each step, until he walked to Echo, pulling the form off the ground and onto his back. "Now, how about we get you back to your daddy?"

Echo was still breathing hard, the rain making his clothes stick to his skin and he wasn't sure he'd heard right. "I--no--no dad--" The boy shook his head, too tired to talk. "Kace..."

"Shuu, boy, shuu." The old man jumped and adjusted the boy on his back before starting his walk back to the station. "I know about people like you. I've seen all kinds of kinds at my little hobble. But you're the first person I've even seen stand up to those boys."

"That dog-- it--it didn't deserve-- that." Echo grabbed the man's shirt, wishing it was Kace, but taking what he could get.

"No need to explain to me, son. Just take a second to rest, I'll find your dad in no time."   
Echo didn't want to do as the man said, but his body was already losing itself to the steady rhythm of the man's pace. He couldn't help but think of that old movie, The Karate Kid, as he drifted off, rain jumping off of him and onto the ground.


	63. Chapter 63

Kace couldn't help but jump as the first signs of thunder rolled over the streets. The sky lit with purple sparks, followed closely by a loud crash. "We have to find him, guys." He half yelled over the sound of pounding rain.

Elliott scanned every shadow he could find, careful not to stray too far from the station, just in case his brother was on his way back. "Echo's not stupid, Kace. There had to be a reason he walked off without telling us."

"I know!" Kace took in a deep breath, running a hand through his dripping wet hair. His boy was out there, alone, probably terrified with all this rain, and in a place he didn't know. Kace just couldn't find a way to find a silver lining.

He snapped his head back as a hand was placed on his shoulder. 

"Kace, he's going to be okay." Luke said. He gave a weak smile, then drooped his hand.

"Luke, I know you mean well, but Echo..." Kace shook his head. "We need to start a search."

Luke looked Kace in the eyes as he was pacing, or as much as a person could when someone was walking back and forth nervously, trying to gain some sense of what the man was saying. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Kace said loudly, stressing each word. "We need to call the police, get some people out here to look for him."

"Kace!" Elliott said.

"Not now!" He yelled at the man. "I know it's not smart and the media will be after us again, but Echo's more important than that!"

"KACE!" Elliott yelled, yanking the man's arm to turn him around.

"What!" Kace yelled back, steaming as he stared daggers at Elliott.

"Look," Elliott pointed down the street where a figure that looked more like the Hunchback of Noter Dame than a person walked towards them.

Kace stared as the figure moved, slowly but surely, up the street and toward the men.

"Hello!" He yelled up the street.

Kace's brow furrowed until he could see that the figure was not one person, but two. One hunched over the other's back. It wasn't until they stepped into the light of the station that the man noticed the blond curls, matted down with rain water, but as twisted as ever.

"Echo!" He yelled out, running over to the man to pull the boy into his arms. He was shivering as Kace landed a kiss on his temple, but otherwise seemed okay.  
"What happened?" Elliott asked as the old man straightened out with his hands on his back.

"Bunch of kids, delinquents really, were beating on a dog. This young man chased them away." The man smiled, shaking his head to get rid of some of the water that was dropping into his face, unsuccessfully. 

"Echo... Chased them off?" Both Kace and Elliott were surprised, but Elliott was the only one to voice it.

"He's brave for a little." The old man smiled.

It took a second for Elliott to under stand what the man had said. "Little?"

The old man gave a sly grin, pushing his hair out of his eyes. "Ah, no need to play it off with me, son. I know a pair when I see them. You're the dad, right?"

"How do you--" Kace started but was quickly cut off but the man's hands.

"I've seen a lot of things in my day, boys. And I may be old, but senile is not a trait I agree with." The old man looked at the group of rag tag people, one dressed as an old man, another as a young boy and two just seemed like hollow, wet versions of themselves. "You boys seemed to have had quite a night."

"More like a few weeks." Luke said under his breath.

"Hey, aren't you the candy guy?" Kace asked. He'd been starring at the guy this whole time, trying to place him before he finally figured it out.

The older man smiled. "Right now, yes. But not for long." With that, the man waved and started his descent down the street.

"What on earth." Elliott said shaking his head and pulling off the gray wig. The rain had made it even more annoying.

"Let's just get back to the train before it takes off without us." Luke said, sighing.

Kace and Elliott nodded, and made way to the station. Echo was completely out of it as they walked through security and back onto the train, even as Kace sat him down on the bench seat. They were wet, they were tired, they were annoyed. But they were together, and that's what mattered.

"We should use the empty cabin to change into something dry." Luke said, pulling at his shirt. "It's a good thing we got some extra clothes earlier."

Kace smiled. "Told you. It's always good to have extra."

Luke rolled his eyes and stood up to rummage through the racks that held their things, looking for the bag of clothes. When he found them he raised his eyebrows at Kace in a, "guess I'll go first," way and made his way to the other cabin.

Elliott waited until he was gone before looking at Kace with questioning eyes. "He okay?"

Kace nodded with tight lips. "Yeah, I think so. He's got a decent sized knot on his head, but he'll be fine."

Elliott nodded and let out a relived sigh, leaning his head back against the wall. "Crazy kid."

Kace let out a one syllable laugh. "Yeah, that's one word for it."

"Oh yeah?" Elliott humored. "And what's another?"

Kace shrugged with a smile, adjusting Echo so he was no longer leaning against him. "Brave." 

Elliott rolled his eyes but had a smile on his face as he looked at his brother proudly. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."


	64. Chapter 64

After Luke changed, Kace took Echo into the empty cabin and closed the door. Echo let out a moan of complaint and rubbed at his eyes as Kace sat him down on a bench and placed the back pack beside him.

"Hey bud, you finally awake?" Kace asked, rustling the boy's longer hair.

Echo cracked his eyes open and looked at Kace under his arm which was currently covering his forehead. He let out a moan and shifted in his seat.

Kace waited for the boy to get situation before asking questions. "You doing okay, bud?"

Echo nodded and rubbed at his eyes. He was cold and wet and tired and his whole body throbbed with pain. "Wan'a sleep." He said lightly, closing his eyes once more.

"Let's get you into some dry clothes and then you can sleep, okay?" Kace reached for the backpack and pulled out a plastic bag before tugging lightly at Echo's shirt to pull it over his head. Echo lifted his arms and allowed the man to undress him, all the way down to the soaked diaper. Whether is was from urine or the rain was a 50/50 chance, but it didn't matter either way. He threw the diaper into the bag and the wet clothes onto the growing pile that Luke had started before rubbing the boy down as best he could with one of his old shirts.

He helped Echo lay down and strapped a diaper around his waist tightly before helping him into a pair of soft shorts and a t-shirt with the logo of a sports team neither of them had ever heard of on the front. "There we go. That feels better now, doesn't it?"

Echo gave a small smile and nodded. He did feel a little better.

"Now, I have to ask and we shouldn't put it off any longer. What on Earth possessed you to run out there and face those kids on your own?" Kace was kneeling in front of Echo, eye's locked on the boy's own green orbs. "We were right there next to you, why didn't you ask for help?"

Echo's eyes fell to the floor and he shrugged. "They were hurtin' the dog. I wasn't really thinkin' 'bout it."

Kace let out a sigh, deciding to drop it until later. "Alright bud, let me change and then we can head back." He stood up and pulled his own pair of shorts and a t-shirt and and quickly changing into them. When he was dressed he nodded over at Echo and they made their way back to their cabin.

"Alright, guess it's my turn." Elliott said, standing up and now noticing his walking brother. "Hey man, good to see you up again." 

Echo nodded but was too tired to respond and pushed into Kace to sap his warmth. The cold was starting to settle over him again.

"Be back in a sec." Elliott said, pulling a bag from the rack and making his way to the other cabin.

Kace led Echo to the padded bench seat and sat down, pulling the boy into the set beside him.

Echo happily did as Kace wanted and leaned onto the man's shoulders as he shuffled around for a second. His eyes were already closed and he was starting to drift off as a weight was place over him and tucked under his chin. He grabbed ahold of it with his right hand as his left hand thumb found place in his mouth.

Kace ran a hand through his hair lightly, happy that Luke was currently absorbed into his phone and unable to notice what was going on. He wasn't embarrassed or anything, he just didn't feel like explaining his choices right at this moment.

Before long, though, the day was taking claim to him as well, the sack of heat next to him a welcomed comfort as he drifted off.

Elliott came back into their cabin just as Kace fell out of the conscious world and tried to keep quiet as he pulled a blanket around himself and threw the other at Luke. The man's face looked pale as the light from his phone screen hit it, illuminating frown lines that grew deeper as he read.

"Everything okay?" Elliott asked, looking over the man's shoulder to catch a glimpse of a head line.

Luke looked up, finally realizing that he was part of the real world and nodded his head. "Yeah, uh, yeah." He nodded as he locked his phone and tucked it back into his pocket. He put on a fake smile and tried to push away thoughts that had been eating away at his head all day. "Nothing we have to worry about right now."

Elliott eyed the man, but didn't push any harder. "Alright. Get some sleep, okay. We'll be home sometime tomorrow afternoon."

Luke nodded and wrapped the blanket around himself, eyes unable to close until the small hours of the morning when sleep won over.


	65. Chapter 65

Stepping through the doorway into the house the next day was one of the biggest weightlifter a Elliott had ever known. Days were shit sometimes. Well, in this case, weeks. But being able to come home was, by far, the best part. He didn't even bother to bring his stuff past the entryway as he walked into the living room and plopped down on his large sofa. Gracie ran down the stairs at someone opening the door, Jake following behind loyaly, jumping on Elliott the second she saw him.  
"You're home!" He smiled into his neck where she had buried her face in the hug.

Elliott smiled and hugged her back, holding onto her sweet sent of strawberries as she pulled back to look at his face. Both of her hands cupped his checks and looked lovingly into his bright green eyes with her own aquamarine ones. Elliott put a hand over hers, bringing it to his lips and placing a gentle kiss on the back of her hand. 

"No, no, no, guy. Don't worry. I got it." Luke said as he huffed two of the larger bags into the entry way and sat them down with a large thud.  
Elliott smiled, kissing Gracie's cheek once before walking over to help his friend.

"Awe, come on. I thought you were Popeye or something." Elliott laughed as he patted one of Luke's shoulders. "You know, eat some weird stuff from a can a suddenly you're strong as an ox. After all, your intelligence just about matches one."

Luke rolled his eyes and moved out of the way as Kace came in carrying the last bag and Echo trailed him like a smaller shadow. If he's said he didn't see something going on between those two, he'd be lying. But it wasn't his business and they were both consenting adults. What they did with their life had nothing to do with him.

Echo rubbed at his eyes but smiled when he saw Jake happily wagging his tail, jumping up onto Kace. He looked around for a second and found what he was looking for on the stairs, his eyes looking directly at the boy. Echo smiled and made his way to the cat, picking him up gently off the stairs and rubbing at his fur.

"You've gotten big." He laughed as the cat purred against him and nudged their faces together.

"Jake, boy, you gotta clam down." Kace laughed as the dog was standing on it's hind legs, front one's flying through the air as his tong lapped through the air at the man's face. "Alright, alright. Now, down." Kace snapped his fingers and the dog dropped to the floor, tail still going wild.

"It's good to have you all back home." Gracie smiled as she made her way into the growing collection of people.

"It's good to be home." Elliott said, sighing heavily with a smile on his face. The trip had not been an easy one.

Free the train reached the station early in the morning at Salt Lake City, they'd found a rental car place and drove the rest of the way home in upper 90's wether. The heat had worn away at their patience and they were at each other necks all the way back to the house. But, all of their anger had disappeared the second they saw the large house and practically ran inside.

"The house looks great, Grace, thank you." Elliott smiled and kissed the girl's cheek.

Gracie blushed and smiled at the group. "You can thank me with dinner later."

"Sounds good." Elliott smiled, arm wrapped around the girl's hips. "But first, I need a shower and my own clothes." He pulled at his discount store shirt and laughed. "Not to dis any kind of clothes, but I really like the stuff that actually fits better."

That got a laugh from the group.

"We should probably do the same." Kace said, nodding towards Echo who still held Leo in his arms.

"Yeah, we can all do dinner together if you want?" Elliott suggested, looking at Gracie for conformation.

"That sounds great." She smiled. "Having everyone together again for dinner will be great."

"Awesome!" Elliott kissed Gracie one more before grabbing his suit case and heading upstairs.

"We're going to head on up, then." Kace said, grabbing his and Echo's bags and nodding for Echo to start heading up. "Luke, you can probably use one of the guest rooms if you like. Catch a shower and a little rest?"

"Sounds good, yeah. Thanks." Luke smiled.

Kace nodded and followed Echo into his room. He took in the familiar smell and sat the boy's bag down beside the door. "I'm going to set my bag in my room and then we can start working on getting clean." He smiled over at Echo as he sat the cat down and smiled.

Echo started to pull off his shirt as Kace went to his room, coming back a minute later with a change of clothes and helped him undress the rest of the way.

"It'll be good to get you back on a shedual." Kace said as they walked to the bathroom. He turned on the bathtub, testing the water with his hand before dropping the drain-stop and letting it fill.

"I'm just glad we're home again." Echo yawned and laid back to let Kace easily pull off the wet diaper from around his waist.

Kace sighed, but didn't bring up the fact that Echo hadn't told him he was wet as he threw the diaper into the trash and lifted Echo up, placing him down in the tub.

The bath went by quickly, Kace noticing as Echo's yawns grew in size and frequacy. He pulled the boy out and wrapped a towel around him before taking him back into the bedroom. Kace sat him down on the changing table.

He gently wrapped a night-time diaper around the boy's waist, unsure of how long the kid would be out and making sure he's be dry no matter what. Echo was drifting off slightly on the table as Kace lifted his legs baby style and sprinkled powder over his area before setting his legs back down and strapping the diaper closed. The man opted for a smile onside and pulled it over Echo's head and snapped it closed over the diaper.

Kace lifted the boy off the table, his sleepy form nothing more than a floppy pancake as he was sat down into the crib, bars raised to keep him from falling out. Before the boy had a chance to slip a thumb into his mouth, Kace grabbed a pacifier from his bag, opening it and bursting it off before sticking it into Echo's mouth.

He smiled in his sleep and sucked away as Kace played with his hair. "You are just too cute, kid." He shook his head and headed off to take his own shower.


	66. Chapter 66

Echo was happily wrapped up in his blankets as Kace made his way back into the room. He was still sucking away at the pacifier, sprawled out on his back with his hands in tiny, light fists. Kace smiled at the boy, twisting one of his curls around his finger before getting fully dressed. He had opted to use Echo's shower because it was closer and had his shampoo already in the shower from previous use.

A soft knock came on the door, Elliott walking in when Kace said it was open.

"Wow, he's out like a light." Elliott laughed at the sight of his brother.

"Yeah, he passed out the second he laid down." Kace smiled. "It's been a long two weeks."

"True enough." Elliott nodded with a smile on his face. "You think he'll be up in time for dinner?"

Kace took in a big breath and sighed. "Not sure. I think you all should go. We'll join you tomorrow. Let him sleep."

Elliott had to hold back a laugh. Living with the guy for so long had made him an expert on all things Kace. Including the fact that the man spoke in short sentences that didn't seem to have any correlation unless you understood the context when he's had a long day.

"Sounds like you could use some too, bro." Elliott patted the man's shoulders and smiled. "But I'm holding you to your word. Tomorrow, understood. All of us going for lunch."

"Dinner." Kace corrected as Elliott made way to the door.

"Breakfast it is, then." Elliott laughed, raising his arm in a good-bye wave before walking back downstairs.

Kace rolled his eyes and made way to his own room, leaving Echo's door slightly ajar. The second he flopped down on the bed, he was out. For the first time in nearly two weeks, both boys got a full night's sleep. No the fact that they were both alone only added to the rarity.

Kace woke up early the next morning to Jake licking at his face, demanding to be let out. He rolled his eyes at the dog and checked on Echo who still slept soundly before walking downstairs to unlock the dog door. When he walked back up stairs he could hear movement coming from Echo's room. Upon investigating, he found Echo sitting up in bed, rubbing at his eyes.

"Hey buddy," Kace greeted, rubbing the boy's back lightly. "How you doing?"

Echo looked up at Kace with squinted eyes, trying to figure out where he was for a second. "We home?"

"Yeah bud. You remember yesterday?" Kace was a little concerned at the boy's confusion.

Echo nodded his head. "I 'member. Just ' forgot." He rubbed his eyes once more, leaning against the bars of the crib.

"Still waking up, huh?" Kace smiled, finally realizing what was going on.

Echo nodded once more and leaned his head over to Kace.

"Awe, come on, let's get you changed." Kace lowered the bars and picked up the very floppy boy to carry him over to the changing table. It was here that he was very happy he'd thought to put the boy in a super absorbent diaper. It was very wet.

When he was dry once more and dressed in some shorts over the onesie, Kace picked him up and carried him down stairs. Elliott sat on the couch and looked over his shoulder as the pair came down stairs. "Hey guys. Morning."

"Morning." Kace smiled back as he sat down on the couch and pulled a blanket over the boy on his chest.

"Still a little hung over?" Kace asked jokingly.

"Don't know. He's being more clingy than usual. Even if he just woke up." He was whispering the words, trying to keep Echo from hearing, even if the boy was sitting on his chest.

Elliott's brows knitted in the middle as he reached a hand out for his brother's head. "Ah, shit." He said, jumping up and running into the kitchen.

Kace watched before placing his own hand on the boy's forehead to feel the heat radiating off of him. "Bud, why didn't you tell me you don't feel well?" Kace asked as he stood up to follow Elliott.

Echo moaned and pushed his aching head into Kace's chest, trying to will away the pain.

"Sorry, I should have told you sooner. When he get's sick, he turns into little more than rubber and clings to whomever is around." Elliott said, pulling fever reducer and a bottle of pain killers out of his medicine cabinate. "This should help."

Kace nodded and, with one hand wrapped around Echo's butt, reached out with his free hand to read over the directions. He knew how to use medicine, but Echo weighed a lot less than your average adult and the last thing he wanted to do was make the boy feel worse. But then came the next problem: Echo didn't like medicine.

"He doesn't like taking anything." Elliott said as he sat the small cup on the counter full of what he had already poured. Echo hid his face in Kace's shoulder any time the cup was brought anywhere near his face.

"Alright then, plan two." Kace didn't want to, but he had to hand Echo over to his brother as he gathered a bottle and some milk, setting it on the counter. At second thought, he put the milk back and grabbed some of the mango juice Echo liked. It would disguise the taste better. He poured in the measuring cup of medicine and ground up one of the pain killers, pouring that in as well before he filled the bottle with juice and screwed on the lid. He shook it for a few seconds with his finger over the small hole before taking Echo back from Kace and making his way to the couch.

Had Echo been feeling better, he would have known what was going. Been smarter than to think he was just going to get a bottle and be able to snuggle into Kace and the couch. But he didn't feel good. And he knew Kace could make it better, so when the bottle was pushed to his lips, he let it slip in and sucked away at the nipple. It was his mango juice, and he smiled as he drank every last drop of the most amazing thing he had ever tasted in his life.

Kace had to force down a laugh as Echo sucked away, falling asleep a few times only to be awoken by a slight touch to his face until the bottle was empty.

"That's my good boy. There we go. All done." Kace cooed.

Echo tucked closer to Kace as he slept, happily taking in the man's sent and sucking him thumb until Kace replaced it with a pacifier that Elliott had gotten for him.


	67. Chapter 67

Echo could feel himself floating, rocking side to side slightly. Everything felt so far off, even his feet felt a million miles away. He could hear something, people talking, but couldn't make out what they were saying. He tried to focus on the sound, but it was too muffled for anything to make sense. He tried to shift around, to see if that would help, but found it didn't.

His mouth was dry, and his tong sat heavy in his mouth. He opened it and closed it a few times, trying to make it go away until something was pushed into his mouth gently. He sucked away on the soft rubber, finding water came out whenever he did. More sounds that still didn't make sense and then he feel asleep once more.

Kace looked down at the boy in his lap, face somehow flush and pale at the same time. He ran his hand through the boy's hair as he slept, trying to will the boy to be better.

"What do you think caused it?" Elliott asked as he sat down on the arm of he couch, handing the man a bottle full of water.

Kace accepted it and held it to the boy's mouth before responding. "Probably the mix of the rain and heat, and then stress finally catching up to him."

Elliott frowned. "Only Victor could make a kid sick weeks after they meet."

Kace's brow tightened in the middle. "How did a man like that get a woman like your mom?"

Elliott shrugged and let out a sigh. "When you find out, let me know."

Kace closed his eyes for a second before opening them back up and standing. "I'm going to go put him back in bed. We may have to reschedule our plans for breakfast later."

"Yeah, don't worry." Elliott nodded watching as he walked upstairs.

Kace pushed Echo's door open, Jake following him as he sat the boy down on the changing table and strapping him down before pulling off the boy's shorts and changing him into a thicker diaper. He placed a hand on the Echo's forehead, feeling to see if any of the heat had dissipated in the past two hours they sat on the couch. It had gone down a little, but not substational enough to say he was getting better.

He let out a sigh as he picked the boy back up and carried him back to bed, where he sat him gently down and waited for a few minutes before standing up to walk out. He grabbed a chair from a room down the hall and dragged it into Echo's room. He didn't want to leave the boy alone in his current position.

He drifted off as he rocked back and forth, only waking slightly as Leo jumped into his lap and took residence. He rubbed the cat for a few seconds before drifting back asleep.

Leo, however, had other plans than napping. He opened his mind's eye and saw the illness that riddled his boy. He'd only been home for a day and he was already sick. Leo would have blamed the boy's caretaker if Kace wasn't currently feeling like shit for letting the boy get sick. He could see that as well.

Luckily, the bug wouldn't last much longer and his boy would be back on his feet in no time. So long as Leo kept and eyes out, there wouldn't be a problem. But he needed more medicine. And something to eat. So he meowed loudly on Kace's lap, over and over again until Kace woke up and glared at him.

Leo felt no remorse as, with the grace only a cat could have, he jumped from Kace's lap and walked over to Echo's bed where he was wrapped in many layers of blankets, rubbing against the legs with his head.

Kace let out a small grunt as he stood up, checking the time to find it was much later than he expected. He whispered a quiet curse and walked over to Echo, checking his head before walking back down stairs to make another concoction of medicine.

"Hey bro, how you guys doing?" Elliott asked as he saw Kace on the stairs.

Kace let out a sigh. "Not much better, but improving slowly. Just about to make another bottle for him."

"Oh yeah, guess it is time for that, huh?" Elliott said, looking over at the clock on the stove as he followed Kace into the kitchen. "What about you, you've been out this whole time too, right?"

"Oh yeah, I'm fine. Guess it's just one of those days." Kace let out a laugh and grabbed a clean bottle from the cabinet and the juice from the fridge. "Do you know if we have any crackers?"

"Yeah, with the cereal, I think." Elliott said, watching as the man the twisted around in the kitchen with almost dancer-like grace. He had to hold back a laugh at that thought.

Kace crushed the pain killer, mixing it in with another dose of fever reducer before pouring in the mango juice and shaking it. "Gonna see if he's up to eating something." He pulled the box of crackers from a cabinet above the fridge and waved with them as he walked up the back stairs.

"Good luck!" Elliott called behind him.


	68. Chapter 68

Kace shook his head with a smile and walked back into Echo's room, setting everything down on the top of his dresser before going to try and wake him up. He lowered the bars on one side of the bed, placing a hand on Echo's shoulder and shaking lightly.

"Hey buddy, it's time to wake up." He said quietly.

Echo let out a low moan and curled up more. He was too tired to wake up yet.

But Kace was persistent and lifted the boy out of bed and onto his hip. "Come on, you need more medicine and a change."

Echo rubbed his hand into his eye and rested his head on the larger man's shoulder. "Don' wanna."

Kace kissed the boy's head lightly. "I know bud, still don't feel well, do ya? But you'll be okay, and all better here soon, I promise."

He laid the boy down on the changing table and strapped him in before unsnapping the buttons between his legs and lifting it up for access to the wet padding. Kace gently removed the diaper, wiping down his area with soft touches of the wipe before placing a fresh diaper under his bottom and sprinkling it with powder. He strapped it closed and lifted the onesie up more, helping Echo push his arms through before he pulled it over his head.

"Gonna put you in something a little cleaner, alright bud?" Kace took the boy's unresponsiveness as an okay and walked over to his dresser to pull out a red onesie. He helped the boy back into it, snapping the buttons closed and lifting Echo up into his arms once more.

"We're going to try and eat something, alright?" He grabbed the pack of crackers from the dresser along with the bottle and walked back to the chair and sat down, Echo perched on his lap. "Think you can eat a few?"

Echo shook his head no, trying to lean back on Kace who was currently keeping him upright.

"Just a few, okay?" Kace held up the pack of crackers and shook them lightly.

Echo let out a tired and aggravated sigh, watching as Kace smiled and opened the package, showing white crackers sprinkled with salt. Echo picked one up and nibbled on it, leaning back onto Kace's chest.

It took some time and a little prodding, but Kace was able to get the boy to eat a whole serving of crackers before he said he couldn't eat anymore. He let Echo sink into his chest and held the bottle to his lips, thinking he should have grabbed a blanket before sitting down.

Echo sucked away at the sweet nectar as he drifted off once more. Too many thoughts were rushing around in his head, though. About Elliott and Kace. About his mom. About Victor. About everything. Nothing ever seemed to last in his life. No one ever seemed to stay for long before they found something better and left. Why couldn't he be good enough for someone to stay. That's all he really wanted.

It didn't take long for his mom to leave him. And after that it was Victor. Elliott had stayed a while, but, eventually, even he had found something better and left him in the dust. Would Kace be like that? After this, would he find someone better and leave too? The thought hurt his already aching chest.

"What's got your face all bunched up like that, bud?" Kace asked, pulling Echo from his spiraling thoughts.

Echo just shook his head and went back to sucking the juice down.

"None of that." Kace said, pulling the bottle away. "Come on, tell me."

Echo looked up at Kace's piercing blue eyes that took away from the glory of the sky. So blue. So honest. So full of concern. "I--I... I don't want you to leave." He tucked his face into Kace's chest as a a tear fell down his face.

"I'm not leaving, bud. I'm right here, okay. I won't leave. Promise." Kace wrapped the boy in his arms and squeezed tightly.

Echo wrapped his arms around Kace as best he could, leaning in and taking in his sent with every breath. "Promise?"

"Always, baby boy." They say like that for a long while before Kace moved Echo back into the nook between his chest and arm. "Let's finish this and then we can snuggle for as long as you like, alright?" 

Echo nodded and opened his mouth to take the bottle and sucked down the rest of it quickly. When it was finished he was two seconds from sleep wrapped up with the older man until he stood up. He let out a sound of complaint and moved his head.

"I know, I know, bud. Let's just go somewhere a little warmer, okay." Kace whispered softly into his ear.

Echo could feel as he walked for a second and stopped to sit down. His hand grabbed a fistful of Kace's shirt as they leaned back and landed softly on a pillow. At the moment, it didn't matter where he was, because Echo was warm and comfy and Kace was there. And really, that's all he needed.


	69. Chapter 69

Echo woke up early the next day, tucked in close to Kace. He could feel the older man's breath on the back of his neck and his arm wrapped around his hip. He must have really been out of it, he thought as he closed his eyes and snuck deeper into the bed. He liked being here, the warmth of Kace's body against his and a blanket covering both of them. It felt, Echo had to admit, safe.

He savored the moment for a while longer before Kace started to stir. Echo let out a moan of complaint as Kace moved his arm away and sat up.

"Sorry bud, but the day's not getting any younger." Kace rustled his head of hair before standing and stretching.

Echo flipped sides, watching as the man's large muscles moved under his skin, being pulled tight then scrunched together as he moved. Some small piece of him wanted to be like that. Big and strong and able to do things. But the other part liked his current size. For all the strength it lacked, it let him do this kid thing pretty well.

"How are you feeling today?" Kace asked, sitting back on the bed and placing his hand onto Echo's forehead. "Your fever's down."

Echo smiled. He felt a lot better. 

"Better on all grounds, then?" Kace laughed.

Echo nodded and moved the heavy blanket off of him so he could get out of bed. He threw his feet to the ground and stood, large hands lifting him into the air before he could put his weight down. His head spun and his vision fuzzed around the edges.

"Careful, bud." Kace's voice said softly. "Don't want you getting up too fast."

Echo nodded and looked up when his vision came back. Kace was holding him on the bed, the boy's legs wrapped around his lower chest as he sat in the man's lap. "Got it." He whispered.

"Alright, we're just going to take it easy today. Do some couch sitting and water drinking until you feel one hundred percent, okay?" Kace stood up, taking Echo with him.

Echo nodded his head and looked around the room, now realizing it wasn't his own. It was Kace's new room, with half empty boxes in a few spots and Jake's dog bed at the end of his own. Jake wagged his tail happily at the two awake humans. 

It looked a lot different than the guest house had, like there was more life to it. Maybe it was the condensing of his stuff or the fact that the walls actually had stuff on it now, but Echo like it.

Kace sat the boy down on the changing table, reaching for one of his many action figures to entertain him as he was cleaned up. It didn't take long for Kace to finish up, strapping a nighttime diaper around the boy (He was sure Echo would nap a lot today and didn't want to wake him for a change), and setting him on the floor.

Echo kept hold of Kace's arm until his feet could hold his weight and walked over to his dresser where he snatched up two more figures. Kace smiled, scooping him up before he could sit down and carrying him down the back stairs and into the kitchen.

"You want some eggs?" He asked, setting the boy in his normal seat at the island.

Echo thought for a second, then shook his head. "No."

"Well, then what sounds good?" Kace glanced around at the cabinets, wondering what they had.

"Pancakes!" Echo smiled.

"That sounds really good." Kace laughed. He walked to the other side of the island and rummaged around for a second, pulling everything he needed out. He quickly threw everything in a bowl, whisking it until it was smooth and pouring it onto the skillet in circles. It wasn't long until he had a decent sized stack on a plate.

He looked up to find Echo was no longer in his seat, action figures gone as well. Kace walked around the island to find him tucked under the stool, sitting with his back against the island and hands tied around the bars as he flew superheroes around.

"What's all this?" Kace asked with a smile, squatting down to Echo's level.

Echo looked up, then back at his hands. "Fighting the bad guys."

"Oh, really?" Kace mused. "Think the bad guys can stop long enough to grab some pancakes?"

Echo smiled and nodded his head, wiggling out from behind the chair and standing in front of   
Kace.

The man rolled his eyes jokingly, hardly able to get over how cute the boy in front of him was. "Let's get you into your high chair, okay."

Echo nodded and walked right over to the chair without any protest. Kace was thrown a little off kilter by the boy's actions, but tried not to show it as he lifted Echo into the seat and buckled him in, setting the tray in place securely.

"You doing okay, bud?" Kace asked as he sat a plate loaded with pancake bits down on the tray.

Echo nodded with a goofy smile again and reached a hand out to grab a fist-full of pancake. Kace didn't notice until it was too late and the boy's hand was already covered in syrup. He made a metal note to do the syrup as a dipping sauce next time instead of covering the pancakes with it.

The boy didn't seem to mind until after all of his food was gone and the sticky substance was drying on his hand. He held it out to Kace, who still didn't really understand where Echo's sudden little-ness had come from. "Hey bud," he said, wetting a cloth and wiping the boy's hands down with it. "What's got you like this all of a sudden?"

Echo looked at Kace, left hand in his mouth as he tried to clean off some of the syrup on his own. He didn't really know what Kace was asking, so he simply answered, "Superman!"

Kace laughed and shook his head as Elliott's distinctive thumps could be heard on the back stairs.

"Morning." He said, covering his mouth as a yawn escaped.

"Hey man, pancakes on a plate in there if you want some." Kace greeted, trying to coax Echo's other hand out of his mouth.

"Oh, awesome. Did you happen to make--"

"In the pot." Kace laughed.

"One of these days, Kace, I'm going to marry you." Elliott grabbed a mug from the cabinet and sat it down on the counter to await liquid gold.

"I think Gracie is taking bets on how long it'll take you to propose." Kace joked. Echo's right forefinger was now in his mouth as the man tried his best to clean the left.

"I've got twenty down on sometime in the next six months." Gracie added as she came down the stairs. Her feet were so light that Kace hadn't noticed at all. She wore a thin purple robe, exposing a small amount of her black bra underneath. Her hair was swept to one side with a touch of curl just at the ends.

She walked in without a glance at Echo and Kace, right hand reaching out to rub at Elliott's back for a second as he poured coffee into his mug. When the mug was full, she reached her hand around and picked it up, taking a sip before Elliott even noticed what happened.

"Hey!" He said as the woman walked to the island as sat down with the cup. "That's my cup!"

"And some great coffee." She smiled sweetly with a hint of devil and turned around to address Kace. "How's Echo? Heard he wasn't feeling too hot yesterday."

Kace couldn't believe at how the woman wasn't freaking out about a man the same age as her boyfriend sitting in a high chair sucking his fingers. Of course Echo would choose now to be little. "He's better. Just going to take it easy today and recover."

"Probably a good idea." Gracie said with a smile, then turned back to her moping boyfriend. "What about Luke? He get home alright?"

Elliott nodded as he pulled out another cup and sat it down to pour a second cup of coffee. "Yeah, he made his way yesterday. Should be at the field soon." He glanced up at the clock on the stove to assure he was right.

"Don't even talk about football right now. You know what that doctor said." Gracie said with a stern voice. "The Thunderbirds can live a week without their quarterback to help him regroup. Otherwise they'll lose you forever."

"I know, Grace." Elliott turned around and leaned against the counter as he took the first sip of delicious nectar of the gods. "I go in sometime this week for another scan and then get cleared based on that."

Gracie raised an eyebrow in a, "bet your ass," way and took another sip. "I'm going to sit on the porch, if that's okay. Get some morning sun."

"Hey, could you take Jake with you for me?" Kace asked.

"No problem." Gracie stood up and let out a loud whistle that boomed through the house. Jake immediately came running, almost crashing though the glass door. Gracie opened the doors and the dog was off. 

When the door closed behind her, Kace looked over at Elliott as Echo played with a forgotten fork. "What was that? Or, really, what wasn't that?"

Elliott shrugged with a smile. "She's been house sitting for two weeks, bro. She had to go into Echo's room at some point to get Leo and clean his litter box. She was bound to find out some time."

"Yeah but," Kace was suddenly very aware of how loud he was being as he sat right next to and other wise occupied Echo. He stood up and walked into the kitchen more while still keeping an eye on Echo, the plate in his hands. "Most people aren't just 'okay' with it right off the bat."

Elliott shrugged again. "When she asked me about it, I told her it was to help Echo and you and that seemed to be all she needed."

Kace shook his head in disbelief as he stuck his plate into the sink. "You better hold that girl tight and never let her go."

Elliott laughed and smiled proudly. "That's my plan." He took another sip of coffee and then followed Gracie out to the porch.

Kace shook his head and walked back to Echo who was now looking very bored. "You finished, bud?"

Echo nodded and pushed up on the tray, showing he wanted out. Kace obliged and lifted the piece of wood, setting it down on the breakfast table before unstrapping Echo and letting him go.

Echo smiled and ran back to under the island where his action figures sat. He snatched them up and ran back to Kace, pulling on his shirt. "Can we watch Superman now?"

Kace nodded and smiled. "Yeah, just let me clean up real quick and I'll queue it up for you."

"Okay!" Echo cheered, running off to the living room and plopping down on the couch, legs crossed with toys still in his hands.

Kace finished cleaning and sat down next to Echo, picking up the remote and hitting buttons until Netflix popped up and he turned on Justice League. Echo scooted closer to Kace, leaning his head on the man's arm.

Kace was lost as ever as to what was going on in the show, but Echo seemed entranced, and the man wasn't about to complain if it kept the boy in a resting spot for a while. So, eyes straight, he tried to follow as a character he vaguely recognized from the King Arthur stories wrecked havoc on the team. 

Halfway through the third episode, Elliott and Gracie finally came back inside, laughing as they walked up the back stairs. Kace rolled his eyes and looked down at Echo, who currently had a hand from one of the action figures suspended between his lips with his eyes drooping. It had only been an hour and a half since breakfast, and two since they woke up, but Kace figured that after yesterday the boy could probably do with a little more sleep. But, knowing Echo, he wasn't going to go down voluntarily. 

So Kace ran a hand through his hair, lightly massaging his head. The boy's eyes were already closing for longer periods of time each time he blinked, so it didn't take long for his breaths to even out.

Kace slipped out from under him, laying him down gently on the couch. He went into the kitchen to grab some water, and then went upstairs. He grabbed a blanket, Echo's teddy bear, and a pacifier before walking back downstairs. He draped the blanket over Echo and sat the bear next to his arm on his chest before finally taking the toy out of his mouth and replacing it with the pacifier. 

Kace smiled at the boy and rubbed his hair. "You're too cute, kid. I better watch it or I might just end up falling in love with you more."


	70. Chapter 70

Echo didn't know why he liked this so much. Well, that was a lie. He did know. But that didn't mean he was going to admit it. Okay, that was a lie too. 

He liked the way Kace talked to him, as an equal where everyone else would think of him as an underling. Even Elliott, though it was unintentional. He liked the way Kace carried himself, with confidence Echo would never understand. His warmth, that was important too. The way he always seemed to be the perfect temperature. And his smell. God, the man smelled good. Better than any smell that had ever passed his nose and then some. How he did that, Echo would never know.

The way he was always there when Echo needed him. The way he held him tight. The way he cared. The way he made Echo feel like the single most important life form in existence.

The list would go on forever and Echo would just keep finding new things. There would never be an end to that list.

He was slightly awake on the couch, thinking it all over. He'd never felt that way about anyone, not even Elliott whom he loved so much. He knew Kace had his down sides, everyone did. But they seemed so small and insignificant when compared to the good stuff.

He shook his head from all the confusion and watched as Kace walked into the room. He carried another blanket over his shoulder and glanced over at Echo. His mouth moved but no sound hit Echo's ears.

When Echo's confused look hit him, Kace let out a laugh at himself, draping the blanket over the arm of the couch and reaching for the devises on the coffee table. He gently put them back in with little help from Echo.

"There we are. They slipped out when you were sleeping." He smiled. "How are you doing, bud?"

"Okay." Echo smiled. He sat up slowly, now noticing the pacifier between his lips. He tugged on it and pulled it out with a pop, inspected it, shrugged, and place it back in his mouth. He liked it there.

Kace watched the progression with a grin on his face, running a hand through Echo's hair. "That's good. You up for some lunch?"

Echo nodded, and moved to get up, but Kace was there lifting his hundred pounds of bone and flesh from the couch and placing him on his hip. Echo liked his strong arms, making him feel like a little kid and defiantly helping him fall into what he'd heard was a "headspace." Not to say he wasn't already there, yesterday had thrown him into that without him even realizing. But this seemed more real because he clearly didn't need Kace to carry him. He did, however, need a diaper change.

Kace took him upstairs, having to shoo Leo off of the changing table before setting Echo down and releasing the buttons between his legs. He made quick work of the diaper change, putting him in something a little lighter this time before redressing him and taking him down the back stairs to the kitchen.

"What do you think you want?" Kace asked. He opened the fridge to glace at the selection, noticing it was limited due to lack of food.

Echo shrugged and leaned his head on Kace's shoulder. He didn't really care.

Kace laughed and rustled the boy's hair. "Alright, I'll figure something out. Why don't you go play?"

He sat Echo down, who immediately walked back to the living room to snatch up his three action figures and took his place under the island once more, finding it the best spot for a super hero battle.

He currently had Green Lantern and Superman against a General Zod, and winning, of course. The good always beats the evil. Just as Superman was about to use his laser vision to cut the leg of the chair and send the wood plummeting towards Zod, Kace called him for lunch.

The rest of the day passed without incident. Echo did a lot more playing and Kace even joined in at some points between doing laundry and picking up the house a little. when bedtime wasn't far off, Kace called a pause on all fighting. "Hero's need to take a bath." He'd reasoned.

Echo figured that was true. They did get very dirty from all their fighting and beating bad guys, so of course they had to take baths. He ran up the stairs, Superman clutched in his left hand as he walked on all fours up the steps. If Jake did it, so could he.

Kace shook his his head and laughed, watching the show of boy and dog as they raced up the stairs.

Bath time went quickly after Kace sat him in the warm water. He hadn't felt tired at all until then, now trying his best to hold back yawns. Kace noticed and washed him gently, using the time to just admire the boy.

The first day they met felt like a lifetime ago. But it wasn't. It'd only been a month or so, and Kace had to admire how much had changed in that small amount of time. A boy that had once been nothing more than name he'd heard a few times was something he, now, couldn't live without.

He pulled Echo out of the bath, wrapping him in a towel and patting him dry before taking him into his room and laying him down on the changing table. He wrapped him in a diaper and pulled a onesie over his head, snapping it closed between his legs. Kace pulled the boy up into a hug and just held him for a second, taking in the sweet smell of baby shampoo and all the smells that just made Echo. Before he knew it, the boy was limp against his chest, thumb stuck in his mouth as he slept.

Kace lowered him gently onto the bed, covering him. He walked over to the changing table, pulling out another pacifier (Echo had somehow lost the one he'd been using previously, and pulled out Echo's thumb, replacing it quickly with the rubber nipple. 

"Good night, Echo." He placed a kiss on his forehead before raising the bars to the crib and walking off to his room.


	71. Chapter 71

The next day, Echo found himself in a very different place. He was still at home, he knew that. And he was still in the kitchen, playing under the island. But it felt different. Like he was looking at the world form someone else's eyes. 

Somewhere, deep in his head, something told him nothing was different. That it was what Kace was doing that made him feel like this. But in the part of his head that he was using right now, it told him this was much better than before.

And he liked that.

He especially liked watching Kace as he walked around downstairs, doing weird things that Kace did. Echo didn't really know what any of it was, but it was always interesting to watch as he heaved heavy things and pushed a stick across the floor.

Every now and then he'd smile over at Echo as he played, his entire collection of action figures sitting with him under the island counter with the seats pushed out to make room for them all. Echo would smile back before continuing his battle of epic proportions.

Upstairs, Elliott sat with Gracie leaning on his chest as they spent another lazy day together. Gracie had gotten permission from her mother and father to take a few days off after she told them what happened to Elliott. So a day lounging around and talking didn't seem like any waste of time to either party involved.

Elliott ran his hands through Gracie's thick hair, letting her snooze a little as he thought. He would do this everyday if could. But football dragged him away form something as simple as the enjoyment of his girl on his chest.

When Gracie started to stir, Elliott looked at her with loving eyes.

"What's with that look?" Gracie asked with a sleepy smile.

"Just an idea." Elliott said, moving his arm as Gracie shifted to sit up.

"Oh yeah," she asked. "And what would that idea be?"

"I don't know if I should tell you yet." Elliott have her a mischievous smile.

Gracie smacked him lightly on the arm. "Come on, tell me."

Elliott twisted his face in fake thought. "Hum, I don't know if I should."

Gracie's face twisted into a fake pout. "Come on, please?"

Elliott smiled at his girlfriend. "Okay, I'll tell you, but you have to promise me before hand that you'll say yes."

"What?" Gracie laughed. "No way!"

"Then you don't get to know." Elliott crossed his arms and leaned against the headboard, playfully informing his girlfriend.

Gracie laughed and pulled at his shirt, tugging it repeatedly to move him side to side. "Elli, come on. Tell me."

"Then promise me." Elliott said.

"Promise you what?"

"That you'll say yes."

Gracie thought for a second. "Okay."

"Okay, what?" Elliott smiled.

"Okay, I promise." Gracie laughed. "So long as it's not murder or something."

"Deal." Elliott shifted himself, now siting in front of her on all fours, their faces only inches apart. He could feel her breath on his face, a tentative smile spread across hers. "Move in with me."

It took a second for Gracie to realize what he was asking. "What?"

"Move in with me." Elliott repeated, this time with more confidence. "When we came back after all that crap, you where there. Right at the door with a hug and a smile and it made it real. Being home was real because you were there."

He stopped for a second, looking deep Gracie's stunning blue eyes. He search the whole world and not find any color like it. 

"Move in with me." He said softly, reaching a hand up to cup her cheek.

Gracie looked back into his eyes, confused. She knew the question, but she didn't expect to hear it yet.

She'd meet a lot of guys and always dreamed of the future. But it never went past dreaming as she found out that, really, guys weren't that serious about moving beyond this. But here she was, sitting across from a man that had changed her thoughts of guys. And she wasn't the only one dreaming anymore.

She took in a big breath and Elliott found himself clinging to her every movement, knowing that everything depended on what that sigh meant. 

"Yes."

"Yes?" Elliott smiled largely.

"Yes." Gracie repeated, a mirroring grin reaching form ear to ear. "Yes."

Elliott thew himself into his back, laughing! "Yes!"

Gracie watched for a second, stomach hurting from laughing so much before she said, "Are you going to tell Kace and Echo or what?"

Elliott sat up, smile still plastered to his face. "Yeah, I'll tell them at dinner."

Gracie rolled her eyes. "This seems like something you should tell them before you ask me."

"Eh," Elliott shrugged. "Kace is the one who said I should ask."

"So you did tell them!" Gracie laughed, slugging him in the shoulder.

"I'm just saying! He's my house mate! He's bound to notice when something's serious!" Elliott said, rubbing his arm with a smile. "But I'm sure they'll both be happy for us!"

Gracie eyed him suspiciously. "Even with what they're doing? You sure they can still do that with an extra person in the house?"

Elliott shrugged again. "I think Echo's really into it now. He's getting better each day he's with Kace."

"I get the feeling you're hoping for them to become a little more than friends." Gracie said, one eyebrow up.

"No, what I'm hoping is to get Echo off my back!" Elliott laughed. As his chuckle died off, though, he looked at Gracie seriously. "What I want is for Echo to trust someone. Someone that won't hurt him. I've know Kace for a while now, and he cares about Echo. And whether or not my stupid brother has realized it, Echo cares about Kace.

"Both of them have been through a lot of shit and a lot of bad people, but they're good for each other. They don't have to be 'together' for that."

"So you're hoping they're helping each other?" Gracie asked, taking Elliott's hand in hers.

Elliott smiled at Gracie softly. "Yeah, I guess."

"Match maker, match maker, make me a match." Gracie sang. "Find me a find, catch me a catch." Her voice was sweet, ringing through the room as she reappeared the words.

"What are you signing?" Elliott laughed.

Gracie laughed and looked at Elliott, amused. "It's from 'Fiddler on the Roof.' Figured that if you're gonna play Match Maker, you might wanna know the song."

"Ha-ha." Elliott mocked, throwing his legs over the side of the bed to stand up. "Let's go get something to eat."

Gracie laughed again and followed him off the bed, craving some of Kace's eggs.


	72. Chapter 72

A week passed without incident. Echo fell right into his roll, and Kace was happy to help. The kid seemed completely different, so much more carefree and happy. And a smile spread across his face every time he thought about it.

Elliott was allowed to go back to work for half days, helping Gracie move in the other half. Gracie was very against his help, telling him he was still recovering.  
"I'm fine! Let me help you!" Elliott pushed.

Eventually, Gracie gave up and let him have his way, but kept a close eye on him every time he moved.

Echo watched from the living room as Kace helped where he could, moving boxes up the stairs. The boy didn't really help much, only moving light things, but Kace was surprised by how comfortable he was acting little around Gracie.

Though, once he thought about the fact that he'd been doing it in public for a while, Gracie must have felt like nothing.

Once the girl was moved in the house feel into a steady rhythm. Gracie woke up first and made coffee, which woke Elliott up. He would then make breakfast for everyone, letting Echo use a chair or his high chair depending on how the little he was feeling. Then Elliott would make his way down stairs to join before leaving. Gracie left next, the job of a waitress never ceasing. And Echo and Kace got the house to themselves.

Things settled in after all of Gracie's things had been unpacked and put in their new spots. The practice season was almost over and, with draft coming up soon, Elliott spent more time at the field. Gracie usually sat in the bleachers if she wasn't at work. Something about watching someone she loved do something they loved sent a smile from one ear to the other and a warm feeling into her stomach. The kind that you can't really explain, but know it's good.

It was on one of those rare nights when Elliott and Gracie were both home that the phone started rigging. The old landline sat on the counter in the kitchen, blaring out one of those stupid bleeping songs that people hesitate to call music.

"Just let it go to voicemail." Elliott said, looking over from the couch he sat on to where Kace was already shifting his weight to get up.

"Nah, it'll only take a second." He shifted Echo's head off his lap and onto the couch, earning him a moan of complaint. "I'll be back in a sec."

Kace walked quickly into the kitchen, pulling the phone off it's dock and answering, "Hello?"

"Is this the residence of Kace Turner?" A voice rang through. It had a buzz to it, telling Kace it was an older man, but the flat tone of someone who had been doing the same thing for a long time now.

"Speaking." Kace answered.

"This is Harrison Chevrolet from Chevrolet and Sons Law Firm. Sir, I'm sorry to inform you of the passing of one Mister Albert Turner early yesterday morning." The voice stopped for a second, as if aware of the fact the Kace could no longer feel his hands. His arms felt heavy and the world cycloned around him as the voice trudged on once more. "Services will be held in two days at the Johnson Funeral Home at three."

Then another pause. Long enough for Kace to question whether or not the man was still on the line before his voice came back. His monotone voice was gone and Kace could almost hear as the man held back a single tear. "Kace, son. I know how things between you and your father were. But you're needed at home now. Your mother needs you at home now."

Kace nodded, then, realizing the man couldn't see his head moving through the phone, rasped out an, "Okay." He took in a large breath, letting it out slowly. "I'll be there."

The man on the other line let out a breath he'd been holding in anticipation. "I'll let them know."

"Chevy," Kace suddenly said, eyes locked on the cabinet in front of him. "Thank you."

"Any time, Kace. It'll be good to see you again."

Kace forced a smile, knowing the other man couldn't see it, then hit the red button and sat the phone back on it's dock.

Elliott was standing in the arch way when Kace looked up, concern painted on his face. "What happened?"

Sometimes, Kace hatted how receptive the twins were to other people. "That was an old friend of my father." He cleared his throat and swallowed, closing his eyes to keep from showing too much. "He, uh-- my father-- he's, uh, he's gone."

Elliott's suspicious look instantly fell as he took a step forward, trying, in the only way he really knew, to comfort his friend. He stuck out his hand and grabbed Kace's shoulder, squeezing tightly. "You okay?"

Kace nodded, looking down and taking in a few more breaths before he dared look up again. When he did, however, it was to the sight of Echo running from the couch and to him, the boy's arms open. Kace welcomed the hug, crouching down enough to be at eye level with him.

After a few moments passed, Kace pushed Echo back and stood straight. "I'm going to head up early."

"Okay," Elliott nodded, understanding perfectly. "We'll be down here if you need anything."

Kace nodded, forcing a smile before he took a step toward the stairs.

"Me too!" Echo said, grabbing onto Kace's pajama bottoms.

"Echo, it might be better for Kace--" Elliott started, putting a hand on his brother's shoulder to pull him back.

"No, it's okay. He can come." Kace held out his hand and Echo took hold of it tightly, following the man up the stairs.


	73. Chapter 73

Echo wasn't quite sure why Kace looked so sad. He hadn't heard much of what Elli and him were saying because he was too zoned into the movie. But when Gracie patted his knee with a sad look, Echo got up on his knees and peered over the back of the couch to see Kace looking very sad.

He instantly got up, running around the couch and to Kace, arms open for a hug. Kace squeezed him tightly and Echo could feel the wetness on his face. When Kace backed away and said he was going upstairs, Echo felt like he needed to be there.

So as they walked up the stairs, he didn't take his eyes off Kace for a second. The man seemed down, but also like a large weight had been taken off his chest all at once. It was the weirdest thing Echo had ever seen.

When they had settled on the side of Kace's bed, Echo leaned close to the man, resting his head on the man's shoulder and wrapping his arms lightly around the large torso. Kace moved his arms and hugged Echo close. 

It was a long time they sat like that. Their arms draped around each other without a single word being said. At some point, Jake took his spot on his dog bed and Leo settled in on Kace's dresser.

Echo watched Leo for that time, eyes not wanting to move anywhere else. The cat had gotten a lot bigger, and his large gray-blue eyes looked deeply at the pair on the bed. He seemed happy enough, although he had hidden for a while from Gracie moving in. He didn't like all the noise.

Finally, Kace let go. Just long enough for Echo to move his head and look up at him before he moved to lay back on the bed.

"What happened?" Echo finally asked, his voice small and light.

Kace took in a large breath and let it out, sitting back up. He wasn't quite sure where Echo was sitting in his head space, so he tried to make it simple as possible. "My father passed away yesterday."

Echo's face twisted into a frown mixed with confusion. "But he's not old."

Kace sighed and sat up, rubbing Echo's back lightly. "No, but I'm guessing he was sick. He wouldn't have told anyone, either. Explains why everyone's so devastated."

"You gost'ta let people know when your stomach hurts!" Echo said, liking the back rub and leaning once more on Kace's side.

"Yeah, that's right." Kace felt a small smile twist his face. "But my old man didn't understand that very well."

Echo drifted a little, the day wearing on him and Kace's warmth settling him into a light sleep. He felt Kace twist, taking Echo with him as he laid down.

"Let's get some sleep, what do you say?" Kace said lightly.

Echo nodded his head, already there. He knew he shouldn't be leaning on Kace so much. Not when he was hurting and needed Echo to be there for him. But he was too tired to be anything than what he'd been all day.

The next morning, Kace woke up with a headache. Whether it was from an illness, or the events of last night was up for debate. He threw his legs over the edge of the bed, looking back on Echo's sleeping form before getting up and starting his morning routine.

When he walked back into his room a few minutes later, Echo was starting to sit up, rubbing the sleepiness from his eyes with the back of his hand. "'Mornin'."

Kace gave a gentle smile and walked closer. "Morning, baby. How you feeling today?" He sat down on the side of the bed, one hand placed lightly on Echo's knee.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Echo let out a small breath of air, akin to a laugh but not really.

"I'm..." Kace thought for a second, looking down and taking in a breath, letting it out slowly before he began again. "I'm okay."

Echo nodded, eyes full of concern, but not pushing hard on the subject. "That's good."

They sat in simi-silence, something that was happening more than Echo liked. The birds outside were the only source of noise acts they chirped away until Kace spoke up.

"I have to go back to my hometown for a few days. Help settle things with everyone. Though I'm not sure that I won't just make things worse." Kace let out a breath and looked for Echo's reaction. "The funeral is tomorrow, and I might need to stay for a few extra days. I'm not sure if they'll even let me come, though, so there's that. But Elliott and Gracie can watch you and you've got lots of things to do here while I'm gone."

That woke Echo up almost immediately. "You're going on your own?"

Kace nodded. "This is my craziness. I don't want you getting caught up in something that could hurt you." His eyes unconsciously went down to the boy's leg where the scar from Victor was just starting to fade back into his skin tone.

Echo's brown furrowed. "I'm not letting you go alone!"

Kace sighed. "Echo--"

"No." Echo said sternly. "I'm coming too. You're not gonna leave me here as you face all that crap! We all need someone to tell us when we've had enough, right! That's what you do for me all the time. Let me do it for you!"

Kace opened his mouth to say something, but words wouldn't come. He felt like a golf all had been shoved down his throat and was stuck. Tears pooled in his eyes, spilling as he reached for Echo and pulled the boy in for a hug. 

Echo squeezed back, as tight as he could. Kace needed him. And after all the crap Kace had helped Echo through, the boy felt like it was only fair to be there for the man. Although, it wasn't just "being fair." It was also support. Something Echo was just now learning about.

When you love someone, you help them. You smile and cheer when they do, and make sure they know you're there. If they're sad, you have to figure out whether to let them be sad or to try and cheer them up. If they did something good, you let them know you're proud. That's what Kace did. No one else Echo had know, save Elliott, had ever done that. But it seemed right. Like the best thing to do for someone you love was to just be there.

And right now, whether or not Kace would admit it, he needed Echo. So the boy held tight until Kace's tears went away and even afterwards. 

When Kace sat up, he wiped his face with the bottom of his shirt, drying it as best as he could. "I guess we should go get packed, huh?"

Echo nodded and smiled, then leaned in and hugged Kace once more. He didn't know why, but he felt like that's what Kace needed more than anything. 

And then Kace let go and it was on to the next step.


	74. Chapter 74

After the hug was over, he walked across the hall and into his own room, stripping off his footie and wet diaper from the night before and putting everything were it needed to go. The next challenge was finding clothes that didn't make him look like a little kid.

He had a few things, tucked away in his mostly-unused closest, so that's where he went to pull out a black t-shirt with the Pink Floyd prism and a pair of loose fitting jeans. He caught a glimpse of himself in the dresser mirror before he stepped into the hall, messing his hair a little more with his hand and causing blonde curls to flip every direction before he skipped down the stairs.

Elliott sat at the island, reading something on his phone as he leaned over a bowl of cereal. He glanced up to see his twin jump the final step and walk to the fridge. "Echo?"

Echo looked over his shoulder as he grabbed the jug of milk and brought it to the island. "What's up?"

"You're..." Elliott looked his brother up and down. "Not little?"

Echo shook his head no with a forced smile. "Didn't really seem right."

Elliott took in a breath and let it out slowly, remember the events of last night. "Fair enough."

Echo made himself some cereal and started into it, reading Elliott's phone upside down. It was just an email about work, nothing interesting enough to keep his attention as two sets of foot steps came down the back stairs and emerged into the kitchen.

"Morning." Gracie smiled, taking a seat next to Elliott with a kiss on the man's cheek.

"Morning sweetheart. How'd you sleep?" Elliott asked, kissing her back and setting his phone face down.

"Eh, okay, I guess. What time do they need you today?" She got back up and reached into the cabinet next to the stove for three coffee cups.

Echo watched as Kace trudged around the kitchen until he found the pantry and swung the door open. He reached inside and pulled a box of poptarts out, opening the container and pulling out a silver sleeve before he took a seat at the island. 

The next few days were going to be hard on everyone.

"In about an hour." Elliott said, stealing side glances at Kace every few seconds. "What about you?"

"I have work until six, ma and pa wanna close early today since it's Sunday. Got some house work to do." Gracie filled the cup and handed them out to Kace and Elliott before taking back her seat next to her boyfriend.

"Well, if they need any help, just let me know." Elliott offered, taking a sip of the coffee.

The two carried on a conversation as Echo and Kace silently finished their breakfast. They walked back up stairs quickly and got to packing.

"Are you sure you want to come?" Kace asked as Echo dug through his drawers for clothing that would be okay.

"For the millionth time, yes." Echo sighed. He knew Kace was only asking out of concern. But Echo was determined to be there for Kace. Even with the risk of slipping into his little space.

Kace sighed as Echo threw clothes into the bag, not bothering to fold them. "It's not going to be very long, okay. I promise. If things get too hectic, we'll leave."

Echo nodded, and threw in one last shirt. "And even if they don't, and you just want to. We can leave."

Kace forced a smile and nodded. "You finished?" He asked, nodding towards the bag.

Echo glanced down at the bag that was now covered with clothes, hardly any of them actually in the bag. He blushes lightly and crouched to shove them in, then zipped the bag closed. "Yup."

Leo sat on the edge of Echo's dresser, questioning why his boy seemed to be different. He wasn't as clingy to the man that Jake seemed to like. But his mind seemed okay, a little worried, but not anything to worry about.

The man, though, he was a lot different. That small, broken gear that he's noticed so long ago seemed to be bigger, more propionate. Something was wrong. And it was deep set, like it had happened a long time ago and he'd pushed it down and away for as long as he could. But he can't keep it away anymore, and it's tearing at him, lightly and slowly, but still doing damage.

Leo stood and meowed, trying as best he could to warn his boy. But all Echo did was pay his head with a, "I'll be back soon. Be good." And walked out.

"Ready?" Echo asked Kace.

Kace let out a sigh, but nodded his head. "As I'll ever be."

Elliott and Gracie waved at them as they jumped into Kace's old Ford truck and started it up with a roar.

"You think he'll be okay?" Gracie asked. "He seemed a little... Off."

"He did just lose his father." Elliott replied, walking with her back into the house.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Gracie sighed. "I hope they'll be okay."

"They'll be fine." Elliott cooed. He was worried too, he wasn't going to lie, but he knew better than to worry. Those two will look out for each other, he was certain.'


	75. Chapter 75

The drive was longer than Echo had thought it would be, even with him nodding off at some point. But that might have had something to do with the fact that Kace was doing ten miles under the speed limit.

"You know it's just as unsafe to go ten over as it is to go ten under, right?" Echo asked after glancing over to the speedometer for the third time in five minutes.

"Huh?" Kace asked, glancing down before realizing what Echo was talking about. "Oh, sorry."

Echo stared at Kace for a while, watching the way his head hung lower than normal as he sat hunched in the seat. His face seemed to have aged twenty years in the past hour they'd been on the road. Even with the radio on, it seemed deadly silent and eerie.

"How long until we get there?" Echo asked, wanting something--anything--to break the silence. He wanted Kace to smile at him in the way that made all of his fears slip away, or reach over and rustle his hair the way he always did when he thought Echo was just being too damn cute. But, for now, he'd take simply having the man talk to him.

"About two hours." Kace sighed. "Two and a half if traffic is bad."

Echo nodded and slumped in his seat. His legs were getting restless and he wanted to stretch. And the need to pee wasn't helping. He hadn't been in the car that long, but he'd forgotten to go before they left. He pulled his feet up and rested them on the edge of the seat, wrapping his arms around his legs and resting his head on his knees.

He didn't want to lean on Kace while the man was driving, but he wanted to be close to him somehow. The three feet between them was too great a distance as he pushed away the crankiness building up. So he slumped a little closer, resting his head on the center conceal, barely able to feel Kace's arm as it rested there. 

Kace had been lost in though. He didn't want to go home and face all of those people again. It seemed like a lifetime ago since he left and never looked back. He'd kept in contact with his sister a small amount, more a casual check in then anything as she settled down with an older friend of Kace's from high school football and they started a family. She had a kid, now. 

If he was being completely honest with himself, Kace had always been amazed at how his older sister took life by the horns and bent it to her will. Holly wasn't much older than Kace, about two and a half years, but she seemed to have wisdom beyond her years. And she's never cared about what gender the people her little brother liked were.

Holly would always stand up for him. Even after he officially "came out," she was quick to defend her little brother to any wise crack and older person had to say. 

Kace felt a gentle brush of hair against his arm and looked down to see Echo's head resting against him. Kace let out a breath, glancing between the road and the boy he'd come to love more than he ever thought possible. He lifted his arm and rested it gently on Echo's back, scratching lightly the way the boy always seemed to like. 

Echo's eyes glanced up and he smiled a small amount. 

"You should probably get some more sleep if you can." Kace said. "I'm not sure how everything will be when we get to the house, but it may be a long night."

Echo nodded and relaxed more into the seat, the stress rolling off him in waves as he rolled into a loose ball and fell asleep. It was much easier to do when Kace didn't seem so stressed.

After a while of nothing but straight road and the dash, Kace glanced back at Echo. His arm was still right where he'd left it on Echo's back, rising and falling gently as Echo inhaled and exhaled. The interesting part was the growing patch of something dark on Echo's jeans. It took Kace a second to realize what it was before he let out a breath of air and switched lanes to get off at the next exit.

His head was too out of it to think about whether or not Echo had used the bathroom before they left. And even more so when Echo had been shuffling around earlier, doing a remixed-sitting version of the potty dance. But the boy wouldn't have asked to save his life, not if he picked up on even an once of uncertainty radiating off of the older man. Really, it was his own fault, Kace thought as he pulled into a gas station parking lot. He should have known better than to let Echo go on a long road trip without wearing any protection.

"Hey, bud," Kace said, speeding up his rubbing to wake Echo. "You need to wake up."

Echo let out a moan and rubbed his eyes, shifting lightly to look up at Kace. "We there yet?"

"No, we just had to make a quick stop. Come on." Kace said as lightly as he could. The last thing he needed was a crying Echo in the middle of a parking lot. 

But it was too late, the bleariness fading away as sudden realization swept his face, along with a very strong blush and he looked down at his pants. 

"I--I--" Echo started, but Kace was quick to stop him.

"It's okay, look, you're fine. No one's hurt, right?" Kace cooed as sweetly as he could. "You'll just need to get changed real quick and then we'll be off once more, right?"

Echo's eyes were red and glossy, but had yet to spill over. He sucked in a big breath of air and nodded, waiting for Kace to get out of the truck before he followed.

Kace pulled his bag out of the back and pulled out a shirt and pants and a pair of underwear for the boy, then handed him a plastic grocery bag with wipes in it before they walked briskly to the bathroom. "Do you need help?"

Echo shook his head no, rubbing his nose on the back of his left hand as his right twirled around one of his many curls. "I can do it."

"Alright, just let me know if you do. I'll be right here." Kace pulled him in for a hug, kissing the top of his forehead. "No harm done."

Echo nodded and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind him and quickly shedding his clothes. He wiped himself down as best he could, making sure to get all of the stinky away before putting on fresh underwear and his clothes over it. He threw his soiled clothes into the plastic bag, shoving the small container of wipes into his back pocket before walking back outside.

Kace stood with his head down, looking up as Echo exited. "All good?"

Echo nodded. "Yeah, but what about the seat?" His eyes darted to the old Ford.

Kace shrugged. "They're plastic covered because of the previous owner. He didn't want the seats covered in dirt from his jobs. So they should be fine."

Who let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Good thinking."

Kace smiled and wrapped Echo in a hug, tight and warm. "I know I've been stressing a lot, but thank you for coming with me." He spoke into Echo's hair.

Echo wrapped his small arms around Kace's waist and did the same.

They stood for a few more seconds like that before jumping back into the truck and heading off for the last half hour of the trip. Each minute brought them closer to an uncertain situation, and Echo couldn't help but to grab the older man's hand, squeezing tightly. 

Kace glanced over and squeezed right back, forcing a smile. "We'll be okay. I'm sure of it." Except he really want sure of anything.


	76. Chapter 76

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3k views! How awesome is that!

Kace could see the house all the way up the block, several cars already parked out front. He found a spot across the street and parked, glancing at Echo and taking in a deep breath before opening the door and stepping out.

In all the years he hadn't been home, it seemed like the house hadn't changed at all. It was still brown bricked with wood trim that made it look a little like a farm house, with a large wrap around porch. The window had buckets under them where several flowers bloomed, gracing the house in color. Even the garden seemed to have the same plants as always, a few ewes branching in the middle of the garden surrounded by blooming tulips with a rose bush on either end. All the empty space was taken by annuals that never seems to change. The garden was perfectly tended, too, without a single weed in sight.

"Look at all the flowers!" Echo exclaimed. He'd never seen a house with such a huge garden.

"That would be my mom for you." Kace forced a laugh. "Her garden should be the cover of some magazine."

"No kidding." Echo smiled. The walked acorns the street and onto the stepping-stone path that led to stairs onto the porch.

Before they could get there, however, the large wood door swung open and a slender woman stood in the entryway with wide eyes. Her dark hair hung over one shoulder, curling perfectly as her blue eyes started down the people in the yard.

"Kace?" She asked, tentatively.

Kace fired a smile and waved. "Hiya, Holly."

The woman ran out of the house and tackled Kace in a hug as Echo watched in shock. She squeezed tightly, then leaned back with a smile on her face. "It's good to see you."

"You too." Kace said softly.

The woman's face quickly changed from a smile to a scorn as she socked Kace in the shoulder and pulled back. "And that's for leaving without telling me!"

Kace winced, right arm reaching up to grip his left bicep, and Echo had to hold back a shout. This tiny girl had just hurt Kace? No way.

"Good to finally see you too, sis." Kace said with a sarcastic tone. "I see you're keeping up with kick boxing."

"You can bet your ass." Holly laughed. It was a light, airy kind of laugh that was almost infectious. "Who's your friend."

Kace glanced over as if just realizing that Echo was still standing there. "Oh, yeah, sorry. Echo, this is my sister Holly. Holly, this is Echo."

Holly stuck out her hand to the small blond with a soft smile. "Sorry, I promise I don't do that to everyone. Just twerpy little brothers."

Echo smiled and shook her hand. She seems kind of nice when she wasn't attacking anyone.

"Mommy!" A voice yelled from the doorway. "Grandma said to not leave the door open!"

"I know, sweetheart, I'm sorry." Holly called back as the source of the voice apeared. It was a little girl that looked like a smaller version of the woman with the same long, curly hair and blue eyes. She was dressed in a lavender dress with little bows at her shoulder and flowers stretching from the bottom hem to about half way up where they bloomed in bright colors.

"Come here, I want you to meet someone." She said, reaching her hand out.

The little girl followed orders, closing the door as she stepped onto the porch and running across the lawn.

"May, this is your uncle Kace. Remember him?" Holly asked, picking the girl up and resting her on her hip. "And his friend Echo."

"Echo, a sound or series of sounds caused by the reflection of sound waves from a surface back to the listener." The little girl said.

Holly laughed as Kace and Echo shared a glance. "Sorry, we do dictionary words every day. We did that one a few days ago."

"How old is she?" Kace asked. What kind of little kid would know all those big words?

"Six, going on seven here soon." Holly said. "But she's a little smarter than your average second grader."

"A little." Kace scoffed lightly.

"That's really cool!" Echo smiled. "Did you know there's also a nymph named Echo? But she's a girl."

"And your a boy!" She said as if that wasn't already an established fact.

"Yeah." Echo smiled. He liked little kids. They were always lots of fun. 

"We better get inside." Holly said, looking behind her where the curtains were being pulled back to look into the yard. "You're going to shook a lot of people."

"Who all is here?" Kace asked, putting a hand in Echo's back to lead them inside behind Holly.

"Uncle Frank, Aunt Polly, their kids Steve and Sue and their wife and husband. Uncle Mark is here, but he's just sitting in the arm chair. Grandma Marty, too. And a few other people." Holly twisted the knob and opened the door, walking in before Kace and Echo. "Mostly it's mom's family."

That didn't surprise Kace. Most of his father's family lived farther away. It would take the longer to get here.

The whole house seemed to go dead as Kace walked in, all eyes instantly landing in him. Well, him and Echo. It was almost like walking through an art gallery of nothing but portraits, eyes following you through the entire show.

It was an older woman with red eyes that seemed to make the tension flee, wrapping her arms around Kace and shaking him lightly. When the woman leaned back, Echo could immediately see the smile he knew so well. Kace had clearly grabbed his face from his mother.

"Kennith, it's been too long." She gave him a sad smile, hand squezzing lightly before she let go and smiled at Echo. "And who's this."

"Echo," Echo said before Kace had the chance. "Kace and my brother work together."

She smiled sweetly, giving Kace a side glance. The boy seemed a little smaller than an average person of his age, but he had a kind smile and that's really all she needed. "I'm Marry, Kennith's mom."

"Kennith?" Echo said, one brow raised in question at Kace.

"Oh, yeah. I never explained that, did I?" Kace say shyly. "My full name is Kennith Chase Turner. Holly couldn't quite get the sounds out, so they shortened it to KC. With just kind of became Kace over time."

"Really?" Echo asked, wide eyed. "That's actually really cool."

"Well, don't just stand there. Come on in and grab something to eat." Marry said, pushing the boys a little farther into the house and towards the kitchen. The conversation picked up between people and the cold of the house suddenly wasn't so piercing. Kace and Echo took seats at the table, Holly settling in next to them with May in her lap. A man sat across from Echo, and Marry took a seat next to him.

"It's good to have all you kids home again. Even if it took this to do it." Mary smiled sadly. She perked up a little as May wiggled out of her mom's lap and into her grandmother's. "What have you been doing, Kace."

Kace looked around and took in a large breath. "Oh, uh, you know. Working. The Thunderbirds keep me busy."

"You're working for the Thunderbirds?" Holly asked, wide eyed.

"Yeah, equipment manager." Kace nodded. "Its good work with decent money."

"Sounds like doesn't often get boring." Marry laughed, well aware of how wearing such a job could be.

"Oh yeah, especially with Elliott." Kace joked.

"Elliott Sumpter?" The man asked. Kace's eyes darted over to him, taking in the well built man with dark hair and goatee. "The quarterback for the Thunderbirds?"

"Yeah," Kace nodded. "You a fan?"

"Oh yeah, every Sunday religiously since I was a kid." He smiled. "Holly hadn't told me you were working for them."

"Oh, I've only worked for them for a few months now." Kace said, trying to defend Holly a small amount. It wasn't her fault he hadn't known.

"Daddy, can I go play with Charlie and Lilly now?" May asked, wiggling away from Mary's lap.

"Yeah, go ahead sweetheart, I think they're still on the back porch." Mark said, kissing the girl's head and watching as she walked through the house and out the back door.

They carried on a conversation, Echo mostly tuned out, watching as the three kids outside ran around laughing. It seemed the exact opposite of the inside of the house, where people spoke in low murmurs and saddened tones. It seemed a little lighter than before, but still dreary.

"Echo, sweetheart. Would you mind watching the girls?" Marry asked, pulling Echo out of his thoughts. "Frank would probably love the break."

"Yeah, I can do that." Echo nodded, happy to take a break form the table. He scooted his chair back and walking the same path May had some time earlier. It was warm outside, but nice. The sun felt good against Echo's face as he walked over to a man sitting in a shaded area looking half asleep. 

"Marry asked me to watch the girls, if you want to go indie." Echo offered.

The man snorted, but stood up. "Keep your eye on 'em, otherwise you'll be missing a kid and have painted toes."

Echo nodded, looking up as one of the girl squealed with laughter. They were sitting at table, gushing over something Echo couldn't see. He walked over, curious as to what they were doing.

May was leaning over another little girl's hand with a brush and a bottle of nail polish, giggling as she smeared a little.

"What's all this?" Echo asked. The girls smiled up at Echo, showing off their colorful nails.

"We're gonna be rainbows!" May announced. The other girls giggled, but nodded their agreement. "Do you wanna be a rainbow too?"

"Uh," Echo said, taken aback by the question.

"Yeah! We can do the whole rainbow then!" One of the girls with a short hair pulled back in two little bows said, getting the other little girl with waist length blonde hair to pull on his hand.

Before he could stop them, two of the girls had pulled out different bottles of nail polish and started working away on his nails. It was actually kind of fun, the girls didn't seem to care at all that Echo was a guy and this wasn't really a social norm. They were just having fun, and Echo figure that if he really didn't like it, he could just scrape it off later.

He was really getting into it, too. The girls, Charlie was the one with short brown hair and Lilly was the one with the long blonde hair, handed him a bottle and he started touching up the splotchy nails. The colors didn't match and the layers were a little wonky, but they were having too much fun to care.

When Kace finally escaped the table to see what Echo was up to, he found him sitting at the picnic table in the back yard, the three girls swooning over him. They were talking and laughing and Kace almost hated to say if, but if he didn't bring them in, Marry would have his hide.

"Charlie, May, Lilly, Echo!" He shouted. "Come on, it's time for dinner!"

Echo looked up and smiled at Kace's figure leaning against the back door with a wide grin on his face. "Come on girls, our dinner awaits!" Echo stood, fist raised into the air and marching up to the porch. The girls fell in line, giggling as they marched behind Echo and into the house. 

When he passed Kace, the man smiled at him, whispering, "You're going to be their new favorite person, you keep that up."

Echo smirked. "Good. Three out of a lot to go."

It took Kace a second to realize Echo was talking about members of his family that liked the boy.


	77. Chapter 77

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3k views and 60 comments! Getting up there in the world! That's almost a comment for every chapter I've written! (You know, minus 17. XD)

Echo had never been at a table with so many people, all of them squished into a spot. Kace sat right next to Echo, bumping hands every now-and-then due to the fact that Echo was left handed. But it didn't bother either of them, each tough giving them a small amount of strength to continue on without too many forced smiles.

Dinner was a simple meal of pulled pork with chips and an arrangement of vegetables and fruit, which Kace basically forced onto Echo's plate. Echo groaned, but ate most of it anyway. So many conversations carried on at once that Echo had to turn down his hearing aide, fiddling with it to keep from fussing too much.

"What's in your ear?" May asked, her voice somehow louder than the whole table.

Echo's hand flew back to his fork, fiddling with it instead. "Hearing aides. They help me because my ears don't work all that well."

May looked shell socked, Holly having to turn her head so she'd stop staring. "Mommy, Echo's a superhero!"

Echo glanced at Kace, who shrugged before he turned his eyes to the girl sitting next to her. "What do you mean?"

"My friend at school is a big superhero fan! He said that Hawkeye, he's a Marvel hero, that he's deaf, but still really cool." May said, shifting in her seat and turning her head between Echo and Holly.

"I heard about that once!" Echo said, suddenly remembering reading something about it a while back. "But I don't follow Marvel as much, so I didn't really look into it." 

"Told you." May said, taking a bite of her pork with a satisfied smirk. "Just wait until I tell him that I met a superhero."

"I'm not--" Echo started, but stopped when he felt Kace's hand on his shoulder.

"Let her think what she wants. Besides, if she's anything like her mother, nothing you say is going to change her mind." Kace laughed.

They ate for a little longer before Marry addressed the men. "Where are you two sleeping tonight?"

"We were going to get a room at a hotel." Kace said. "Which reminds me, we better get going. Won't find a room otherwise."

"Nonsense." Holly said, "Don't waste your money on a hotel, Kace. You can stay with us. We've got plenty of room."

"Sis, we couldn't do that." Kace started, but Holly just shook her head.

"Its settled, you're staying with us. Right, Mark?" Holly said, nudging the man next to her in the ribs.

"Ohf," Mark whined, rubbing his side. "Yeah, what she said."

"Good. We actually have to get going, anyway. May's bed time is coming up fast." Holly said, rubbing the girl's hair as she stuck her tong out is disgust.

Kace couldn't help but steal a glance at Echo who, despite his earlier nap in the car, was yawning as well. "Yeah, it's going to be a long day tomorrow."

Holly let out a sigh and forced a smile as she stood up and went around the table, kissing her mother good-night. Mark and May were at her side, waving as Echo and Kace stood to follow them. When they made it out the door and into the cool night air, Holly told Mark to take May to the car so she could speak to Kace.

"Kace, mom's family is one thing. Dad's family is going to be a lot harder to get along with." Holly said softly, almost like she was walking on glass with her words.

"I know, Holl." Kace sighed. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't been thinking about that this whole time. "But I willing to face them for mom and you."

"And he won't be alone." Echo said. He hadn't said much through dinner, or reached for Kace like he would normally do. Keeping constant physical contact with Kace had become second nature and having to stop so suddenly had been very hard. But Echo took that moment to grab Kace's hand and squeeze it lightly. 

If Holly noticed, she didn't say anything. "Alright." She nodded her head, straightening out like a million pounds had just been lifted off her shoulder. "Alright. You guys wanna follow us in your truck or jump a ride with us?"

"We can just follow." Kace smiled, the picture of all five of them squeezing into her Prius and interesting thought.

"Alright, let's get going. It's getting late." Holly patted her brother's shoulder, the same way Elliott did sometimes, before turning and climbing into the passenger side of her car.

Kace held onto Echo's hand, lightly pulling him back towards his old Ford. Echo yawned and climbed into the passenger seat as Kace took the wheel, throwing the car into gear and following the LED lights of the blue Prius. Kace tried to remember the way, but was lost after ten minutes, hoping he wouldn't look too much like an idiot if he ended up following his sister back to their mother's house the next day for the wake.

He parked the truck on the side of the street facing the well lit house that Holly's Prius pulled into. Kace had to hold back the gawk he felt at the side of the house, seeming to be two stories along with a basement, all of it done up in light, sand colored brick, all of it lit but outside lights that showed the pathways. Echo, however, was not so subtle.

"Your sister's house is huge." He said, slamming the door and walking around the car towards Kace. "Not as big as Elliott's, but very big."

Kace let out a laugh, lifting their two small suitcases form the bed of the truck and onto the road. Kace started walking towards the house, Echo following behind closely as Holly and Mark stepped out of the car, May jumping out of the back and running towards the front door.

Holly laughed, unlocking the door and letting it swing open for everyone to head inside. May ran for the kitchen which was a short walk from the front room and the four adults stayed in the foyer for a second. 

"Here, let me show you guys the guest room." Holly said with a smile. "Mark, think you can get May in bed?"

"No problem," Mark smiled, flashing very white, very straight teeth. He kissed Holly on the cheek, then headed off to chase down May.

"Follow me." Holly sing-songed as she walked farther into the house and up a split flight of stairs, stopping at the halfway point to make sure the two men where following. 

Kace took Echo's bag when they got t the stairs, easily lifting both suitcases as they made their assent. Holly turned to the right at the top of the stairs, walking across the small stair way and waiting at the closed door. She opened it when both men were there, walking in before them while holding her breath.

Inside the room were a few dozen boxes, all with things written on them and a queen sized bed that took up the middle of the room. Once again, Kace had to keep his jaw from dropping.

"Sis, are these boxes..." Kace started, reaching out to one to pry it open.

"Mom said she wanted it out of the house so she could turn your room into an office, But I didn't want them just throwing away all your old stuff. So I packed it up and kept it in here." Holly said with a forced smile.

Kace pulled a football jersey out of the box, his old high school team seeming like a lifetime ago. "Sis, you didn't have to do this."

"I know, but I didn't want you thrown away." Holly's voice seemed to crack in the middle of the sentence, and she quickly lowered her gaze. 

Kace moved to her side, leaving the shirt on the box and the bags in the doorway, wrapping his arms around his sister. In all his life, he hadn't seen the girl cry save for a handful of times. "Holl, I'm home now."

Holly nodded her head. "I know, it's just... I didn't think that day would end up like that. Not after that phone call. I didn't think it would get worse. And they you didn't call to tell me you were okay and I thought you would never come home again."

Kace took in a deep breath and held it, leaning back from his sister. The woman who had once been the girl that got him out of so much trouble. The one who had once jumped in front of a car to save his dog after the fuzzball had run into the street. The fearless, master kick boxer who would destroy any kid who even dared to lay hand on him. That girl then grew, leaving her brother alone at home as she went off to college, but called every-other-day to make sure their father wasn't saying anything too bad and their mom was still active as always. The only person her regretted not saying good-bye to when he left that day.

"You ever do that again and I will personally tear open your chest and rip out your lungs." Holly said against his shoulder.

Kace let out a laugh as his sister pulled back, eyes still glossy, but the sadness was gone. "I ever do that again and you have my permission."

"That would really hurt," Echo said, rubbing his chest.

Kace glanced at the doorway as if just now realizing the boy was still there. "And that's why you don't mess with ol' Holly Hardhands!" 

Holly let out a groan at the stupid nickname. "Really, Kace? You had to bring that back?" She took a few steps towards the door, maneuvering around the bags to get back into the hall. "Oh, sorry there's only one bed. I totally forgot. I'll have Mark bring the air mattress up from the basement."

"No, it's okay. You don't have to do that." Echo said. "I don't mind if Kace doesn't."

Holly looked over to Kace with a raised eyebrow.

"Works for me. We'll only be staying for a few nights, so there's no need to go through the hassle of an air mattress." Kace pulled the bags into the room, clearing the walkway once more.

"Alright then," Holly shrugged. "If you all need anything, Mark and I are just down the hall and there's food in the fridge. Nor freaky stuff, though, okay? May' room is across the hall."

Kace rolled his eyes as his sister smiled, then waved good night, walking down the hall and disappearing into another room. 

"Let's get you ready for bed, then." Kace said, lightly pulling Echo into the room and closing the door. Before Echo had time to ask what the man was talking about, Kace was pulling a diaper out of his bag and handing it to the boy.

Echo's eyes darted to the door he already knew was closed, pushing the briefs back towards the man. "Kace, I'm big, I don't need these."

Kace pushed them back towards Echo, saying, "I know you are, and I understand your hesitation, but, Echo, we're in a new place and you know that you don't do well with nights anyway. The new setting will only make it more likely. So, please put them on. If you don't use them, I won't ask you to again until we get home, okay?" Kace was going to mention that he was also worried about Echo coming out of his head space so quickly, but that seemed like something that didn't need to be said just yet.

Echo let out a sigh, a pained look on his face as he grabbed the diaper and tucked it under his arm. He made his way across the room to where two doors were open, one leading to a small walk-in closet and another to a small bathroom. He closed the door and quickly changed,forgetting to bring his pajamas with him. He walked back into the main room where Kace was now fully changed into a worn t-shirt with Thunderbirs written across it in large blue letters and simple sweatpants. echo was reaching for his bag when a knock came on the door and he looked down to see he was in nothing but the diaper. Glancing around quickly, he grabbed the shirt Kace had pulled out of the boxes and pulled it over his head, letting it fall just in time as the door opened.

May stood with the door slightly ajar, hand fisting her eyes as she sleepily said, "Good night, uncle Kace. Good night, Hawkeye."

"Good night, May." Kace smiled, waving his hand as the girl was gently pulled away by her father, who waved goodnight and closed the door.

Kace looked over to Echo, now dressed the the old jersey reaching almost to Echo's knees and covering everything he'd needed it to. "That was quick thinking."

Echo let out a breath of air, trying to control his hear rate. "More like a close call. Think they saw anything?"

"Nah, my jersey did a goof job." Kace smiled.

Echo looked down at the shirt once more, now realizing that he was wearing Kace's stuff. "Sorry, I'll take it off." As he reached his arms around to pull at the hem of the shirt, he found a large pair of hand stopping him.

"No, it looks good on you." Kace smiled, pulling one of his hands away from the shirt and towards the bed.

Echo blushed, but snuggled into Kace all the same, taking his spot as little spoon in the large bed. It wasn't as big as Kace's back home, but they still fit on it comfortably. Kace threw the blankets over them and wrapped his arms around the boy's small waist, pulling him close.

If he was being honest, he didn't think the day would end like this at all. He expected to be driving back to Glacier in a Ford with a broken windshield or something along those lines. Cuddling in to Echo as the boy wore one of his shirts hadn't even been on the list of things he thought could possibly happen. But here they are, tucked into each other comfortably and happily.

Although, they still had tomorrow for all the bad things to happen.


	78. Chapter 78

The next morning, Echo woke up to Kace's light snoring close to his ear. He had to hold back a laugh, rolling out of bed gently. Being out of the desert and into a town that actually had wild grass would do a number on anyone's allergies. He walked to the bathroom, pulling off the wet diaper with a silent thanks to Kace for remembering it. As much as he hated that he needed it, having wet the bed wouldn't have helped anyone.

He quickly redressed into a pair of shorts, keeping the jersey on as he brushed a hand through his hair. When he thought he looked presentable enough, he opened the door and silently slid out of the room, not wanting to wake Kace.

"Hawkeye!" May smiled, running out of her room and taking Echo's hand with a big smile! "Hawkeye! Daddy said he's going to make waffles for breakfast! Isn't that cool?"

Echo smiled and nodded his head. "Yeah, that's really cool!"

"May, he just woke up, sweetheart." The burly man from yesterday said, walking over and running a hand down the girl's hair and placing a light kiss on her forehead. He was dressed in a black shirt that clung tight to his large and muscular body and dark jeans that held tight to his ass. "Try not to be too crazy."

"She's fine," Echo smiled, squeezing her hand lightly in a playfully motion.

The man laughed, a deep kind of noise that came from the stomach. "Just wait until she gets sugar in her."

Echo smiled and let out a small laugh. This guy wasn't as scary as he seemed. 

"I don't think we were properly introduced last night. I'm Mark, Holly's husband." He held out one large hand to Echo.

"Echo, Kace's friend." He smiled, taking it and shaking lightly.

"Alright, next thing, I may have to cancel waffles, sweetheart." Mark said, looking at May.

"But daddy," May started, eyes already got with tears. "You said--"

"I know, but I don't want you getting syrup in your hair and on your nice clothes." Mark ran a hand through her hair as she let go of Echo's hand to rub at her eyes. "Why don't we do them tomorrow, okay? And I'll even make bacon and eggs and anything else you want."

"Promise?" May sniffled.

Mark smiled and nodded his head. "Promise."

"Okay!" May smiled, perking right up. "Can Hawkeye see my room?"

"Uh," Echo started, not wanting anything to feel awkward. "I better not."

"Please?" She asked Mark, hands held together as if in prayer.

The man eyed Echo, but then nodded his head. "Yeah, if he wants."

May cheered, grabbing Echo's hand once more and pulling him towards an open door. "You've got to see all of my ponies! I have lots and lots and lots!"

As Echo was taught every pony's name, Kace started to stir in bed. He'd been in and out of sleep all night, dreading the morning. But now it was here, and he had no choice about it.

He sat in bed for a long time, thinking the same things he'd thought about all night until the need to pee pushed him out of bed and into the bathroom. He noticed the duper in the trash can, and let out a small sigh. It was a good thing he had thought to bring those.

When he got out of the bathroom, he walked to his suitcase and pulled out his neatly folded button up and slacks, dragging it out as long as he could as he slipped each button into place. He threw his suit jacket over his shoulder and opened the door with a deep breath.

He could hear the loud talking of his niece mixed with laugher and the reply of a voice he knew very well. He walked to the entrance of the little girl's pick wonderland. There was no other way to explain the room with baby-pink walls and hot pink carpet. Compleat with a princess themed bed that was pink and white and a matching dresser set. Her windows had translucent pink curtains that let in just the right amount of light.

In the middle of the room sat Echo still wearing his jersey with a crown on his head and May, who waved around a wand spurting words he only half remembered from the Cinderella movie. Echo was playing right along, still big but having a lot of fun and he sneezed playfully from all the "pixy dust."

"How do I look, now, princess?" He asked in a light voice.

"Just like a prince!" May exclaimed, turning around to reach for a long pink scarf made of feathers and wrap it around his neck.

Echo laughed and stood up, taking a very "princely stance" as he claimed, "You have cured me! I will rule once more! Thank you, wizard queen!"

May laughed, eating it all up. When she opened her eyes and saw Kace standing in her doorway, she said, "Kace! You play too?"

Echo turned around with a smile, his face softening a bit as he looked at Kace in his formal wear. "Actually, we have to get changed for today. You probably should too."

May nodded, her face becoming sodden very quickly. "Yeah, cause today we put grandpa Al back in the earth."

Echo nodded. "Yeah, but that's okay. Because he's not hurting anymore. And, one day, we'll all see him again."

"And when we do, we can all play rocket ship like we used to? And grandpa will make us burgers like he always does and we'll have one big party?" May asked, a piece of that light coming back to her eyes.

Echo smiled brightly, ruffling the girl's hair. "Yeah, defiantly!"

"Even you, Hawkeye?" She asked. "And uncle Kace?"

Echo looked over to Kace and nodded his head. "Yeah, that would be lots of fun, don't you think?"

May shook her head excitedly. 

"Alright, come on." Kace said to Echo after a few moments. "Let's get to it."

Echo nodded his head and walked out of the girl's room and back to the one where they were staying. He grabbed his suitcase and pulled out his formal wear, Kace helping him put it on. The older man then ran a come through the kid's hair, enough to keep the curls at bay for the day and then they walked out of the room together.

Downstairs at the kitchen table, May sat eating scrambled eggs and dressed in a long gray dress, with Holly next to her cradling a cup of coffee and red eyes. Mark stood over the stove, the only one to look up when the two men walked in.

"Hey, how would you like your eggs?" He asked, forcing a small smile.

"Scrambled is fine." Kace said, answering for both of them. 

Breakfast passed quickly, everyone picking at their food before loading into their cars and heading out. Kace had almost forgotten where they were driving as they passed a turn he was almost positive led to his mom's house. But then he remembered that they were heading to a funeral home, and then the cemetery.

The radio wasn't even on, but both men were too stuck in their own thought to notice.

When they pulled into the parking lot of the funeral home, Kace could already see that it was half full. He parked the car farther away from the entrance, then swung his door opened and climbed out. His heart was racing, and he had to wipe his hand on his pants to get the sweat off, but his feet moved towards the door all the same.

Echo could see the stiffness in Kace's posture, the way his eyes were open a little more than normal in fear. Everything he never thought he's see in the amazing guy he knew Kace was. So her slid his hand gently into Kace's and squeezed lightly. The man tuned his head, startled at first, but then smiled.

Holly stood in the doorway, May in her arms as she smiled supportively, then turned and walked inside the building.

The Johnson Funeral Home had been a building Kace had known all his life. It was the only one of three in their small hometown that was Christian. The other two were Baptist and Catholic. It was old fashioned, but so was the whole town.

Inside, there was a floral patter on the carpet don't in a deep red with green leaves and stems circling each blossom. The walls were gray wallpaper with pinstripes of white and bordered in the same dull gray of office cubicles. A well worn path led the men into a large room where many people stood and sat, all with the same solemn look.

A few people looked up, sneering at Kace as he stepped off to the side with Echo, standing at the back and trying very hard not to look at the face in the coffin.

A gruff looking older man with a long narrow face and nose to match stood up from his seat, walking towards the pair. He wore a gray suit with a white button up and a black tie, all of which hung on his hunched body.

"Kace, my boy," he said, forcing a smile as he reached out a hand and lightly squeezed Kace's shoulder.

"Hey, Chevy." Kace forced the same smile, gripping tighter to Echo's hand unconsciously.

"I'm glad you could make it. I was worried you wouldn't." He glanced down at the two me holding hands, but decided to not say anything. "It's good to see you again."

"You, too." Kace looked around the room, trying to ignore the looks people were giving him. If looks could kill, Kace wouldn't have been right there with his father at this point. "I didn't think so many people would be here, though."

Chevy looked around, a sad smile on his lips. "You father was a well known man. He'll be dearly missed."

"Thank you." Kace said, and with that, Chevy turned around and took a seat once more next to an older looking lady in a dress.

"Who was that?" Echo whispered to Kace.

"Oh, sorry. That's Chevy, and old friend of my father's and his lawyer. He's a really good guy." Kace smiled.

Echo nodded, giving the man his approval as more people came into the room.

After man other people filed into the room, taking seats amongst the rows, a man dressed in black stood at the front of the room and cleared his throat. All conversations seased and the man begain to speak.

"Greetings, family and friends," he started. "We are here today, not to mourn a loose, but to celebrate a life. The life of Albert Tuner, beloved father, husband, uncle, cousin, and, most of all, friend." 

The man went on, telling stories that gained a few short laughs from the crowd and even more that gripped at even Echo's heart. So many things about a man he never knew. The man started quoting the bible, things about life and love and even one about death. Tissues were being passed around as more and more eyes fell to tears.

"And now, a work from Al's good friend, Mr. Chevrolet." The man said, taking a few notecards with him as he stepped away from the podium and Chevy stood up to take it.

"As many of you know, Al and I have been friends for a very long time. So long that I can't remember half the trouble we got into as kids. But one thing that I will always remember, is how old fashioned he was. Even when we were kids. And it's because of this trait that he took from his father, that I have been asked to read his will while everyone is here."

Chevy pulled an envelope out of his suit jacket and opened it with soft fingers and shaking hands. He slid the paper out of the sleeve and opened them gently, clearing his throat before he started.

"'I, Albert John Turner, sign this as my last will and testament.'" Chevy read through the distribution of his possessions and money, most all of it going to Mary and a small portion going towards their church. It took a while to get through, but once he did, he looked up with a pause.

"This next part, he would like me to inform you, is to his family. 'Mary, you are the best thing to ever happen to me. You are the most beautiful, selfless woman I have ever met, and every day I loved you more. 

"'To my daughter Holly, I wish to tell you how proud I am of everything you have achieved. I never told you that when I was alive, but I want you to know now. Going through school on your own and becoming one of the finest young women I have ever had the chance to meet. We were blessed to have a daughter as magnificent as you.'"

Kace looked over at his sitter, who was currently hiding her face in Mark's chest. He was so focused on the words for his sister, he almost missed his own name.

"'And to Kace, the boy who I could not, for the life of me, understand. My biggest regret in life will never being able to see you face to face again. I do not deserve your forgiveness after all I have done to you. I pushed you away due to things I didn't understand. Things my old mind will never fully be able to wrap around. I didn't know, that day, that I would never see you again. And every day since I wondered if you hated me.

"'The bible speaks of love and acceptance, and I had ignored those words when I thought of you. Of what you are. But I will no longer do that. Even if you'll only read this because I am gone, know that before I found the words to write, I understood. Love is love. No matter what shape it takes. And I love you, no matter who you love. And I'm sorry I didn't understand that sooner.'"

Chevy had to wipe his eyes and take a deep breath before he could look up.

Kace was frozen in place, eyes hot with tears he promised himself he wouldn't let fall. Echo' hand squeezed his tightly, and Kace let it happen as his mind ran wild. Would he--could he-- forgive the man? Was that really something he could choose? Did he truly deserve it?

He was too stuck in his head to notice ever eye in the place was on him, waiting for a response. Slowly, and ever so slightly, Kace gave a nod of his head. It was all he could do, mind racing with questions that would never be answered. He could feel arms warp around him and looked down to smile at Echo hugging his chest. He hugged back, nodding a little harder.

It had been too long since he felt like this. Warm. Compleat. Loved. He knew things were weird right now, but it felt like ten-thousand pounds had been lifted off his shoulders and disappeared into thin air. It felt easier to breath and simpler to just exist.

Chevy finished the will and tucked it back into his jacket, then the man in black took over and said a last few words before the casket was closed and everyone filed out.

Kace, Mary, Holly, Echo, May, Mark, and Chevy all hung behind at Mary's request.

"I know this is last minute, but would you all be Paul barriers? I know it's what Al would have wanted." She asked.

Echo was a little taken aback by the offer, but nodded his head yes. As did everyone but May, who really couldn't even if she wanted to.

Mary smiled, and, under the guidance of the man dressed in black, Echo, Holly, and Mark took one side as Kace, Chevy, and Mary took the other, walking the casket out to the hurst.

They drove to the cemetery as one long line, several police motorcycles taking front and back as they drove to the cemetery on the outskirts of town. 

Before long, they were all standing in front of a hole where the casket was braced over with a pulley system. After a few more words from the man dressed in black, the casket was lowered.

"Mommy, why are you crying?" May asked as Holly held tight to Mark once again. She was a little loud, and pulled the attention of the whole gathering.

Holly sniffled, taking in a deep breath as she explained, "Because I'm really going to miss grandpa Al." She ran a hand down May's hair, tucking it lightly behind her ear. "Aren't you?"

May thought for a second, then said, "Yeah, but uncle Kace's friend said that we're all gonna be together again. And grandpa can make burgers and we'll have a big picnic just like we used to do, right, Hawkeye?" She looked around for Echo, who stood very still at the looks he was getting from the crowd.

Echo forced a smiled and nodded his head. "Yeah."

Holly's eyes went soft, a silent thank you sent to the blonde before she smiled at May. "That sounds like a really awesome idea."

May beamed at the praise. "Yeah! I'm really looking forward to it! We're going to play games and I'll have time to work on my corn hole so I can finally beat him!"

Holly let out a laugh, Mark smiling at their daughter as he said, "Yeah, and you can finally teach me that card game you all used to always play."

The whole crowd took in the sweet moment, minds seeming to change about the son of thief friend and his guest.


	79. Chapter 79

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *Grins evily.* Enjoy~

After a few more minutes, the left over people started making their way back to their cars. Almost half of the crowd had already left, taking off for home or other places. 

"Where're we going?" Echo asked as they walked back to the truck.

"This place called Sussie's. It's kind of like Gracie's parent's place, but with country food instead of steak." Kace explained, swinging the door open and climbing in.

"Why?" Echo followed, taking his seat on the passenger side.

Kace started the truck with a roar and followed in behind a long line of cars. "Uh, it's the place we all used to eat after church on Sundays. My dad really liked it. It's kind of like a party for him, I guess. To celebrate him."

Echo though for a second, mulling it over in his head. "We never did that. It's sounds cool."

Kace was about to ask what he meant when it seemed to hit him like a brick to the face. Echo never had the chance to see his mother buried. The man couldn't help but wonder how he even found out. Did he get a call? Or did he read it in the paper? An obituary, maybe? But by the way it sounded, no one would have really known her well enough to do that.

"Are all funerals like this?" Echo asked, looking forward the whole time. He didn't dare look at the man, not right now.

Kace shrugged. "I think. I really just depends on the person and their family and religious beliefs." He looked over at Echo, who seemed to be trying very hard to not cry. "Hey, I heard once, that in some religions, they put rocks on graves instead of flowers."

Echo didn't respond as they turned a corner and took a long road through town. It was a silence Kace wasn't sure he liked. Well, actually, he knew he didn't like it. 

"I think mom liked that her's wasn't a big thing." The boy finally said, nodding his head. "Her landlady was the one who found her. It was an aneurism or something. She was basically going to die no matter what. It was just a matter of when.

"But the landlady took care of everything. Mom was cremated and the lady got her a small headstone. There weren't very many people there, she said. But the landlady did the best she could." Echo shrugged, wiping at his face at what Kace was sure were tears. "She found a picture of us in mom's things and tracked me down. We had just gotten out of school and our foster mom at the time answered the call. She told us that night and that was it."

Echo waved his fingers in front of his face. "Poof, no more mom."

Kace let out a sigh, grabbing the boy's hand in his right hand as he held the wheel with his left. "I'm sorry."

Echo wiped at his face once last time, then forced a smile onto his face. "I'm fine, really. It happened a long time ago. It's just that I've never really told anyone that."

Kace forced a small smile as well, losing it as he brought a Echo's hand to his lips and kissed it lightly. "Thank you for sharing with me."

Echo blushed, deeper and harder than he ever had before. If Kace noticed the boy's face dipping and turning away, he didn't say anything. But Echo didn't let go. He liked Kace's hand in his. It felt right. He couldn't explain it. It just did.

They pulled up to a medium-sized, one level building that looked a bit like two smaller houses put together. A large, hand painted sigh above a set of double doors read Sussie's in large, loopy, purple writing. Several cars were parked out front already, more moving in as time passed.

Kace parked the truck and turned it off, giving Echo a second before he even grabbed the handle. After a few deep breaths and a nod to Kace, Echo jumped out of the truck and followed the man into the building.

All around, sitting at cream colored tables, sat the family of Kace. Echo could only see the resemblance on a few people, his nose, his chin, but other than that, each face was that of a stranger. Echo gulped a bit as several stares with bad intentions landed on him. Kace seemed oblivious as he led Echo towards the table where Holly, Mark, May, and a few other people sat.

"Kace!" Holly stood, smiling. He eyes were still red and slightly swollen, but she seemed okay other wise. "You remember our cousins on dad's side, right? Steve and Angela and Taylor?" She pointed to each one in turn, all of them nodding with smiles.

"Yeah, of course." Kace laughed, reaching his hand out to the darker haired one and slapping his hand. "Steve, man, how have you been?"

"Oh, great. Just got a job at a law firm in Tennessee." He smiled. "Even got myself a lady down there. She couldn't make it though."

"That's great." Kace smiled, eyes looking around before landing on Echo. "Oh, sorry. This is Echo."

Echo nodded as Steve gave him a smile. 

"Well, take a seat, were getting ready to eat." Steve smiled, gesturing to the two empty chair.

Kace smiled, pulling a chair out for Echo before sitting down himself.

"I got you all water, hope you don't mind. Wasn't sure what you'd want to drink." Holly said, handing them two menus.

"No, water's great. Thanks." Kace said, taking a sip to prove his point.

"Hawkeye! Are you going to sleep at our house again?" May asked. She has a straw in her mouth, chewing on it lightly.

Echo shrugged and looked at Kace.

Kace looked over to his sister. He didn't want to intrude and end up pissing her off. Heaven only knows what she could do to his arm, ranging from Indian-burns to full on breaking it.

"That would probably be good. You all shouldn't be driving home too late at night after a day like today." Mark said. Holly was still looking at a menu and didn't even register her brother's look.

"Yeah! Hawkeye is sleeping over again!" May cheered, the straw falling from her mouth. 

Echo smiled as Kace shook his head, leaning close to the boy to say, "I think you have a fan."

Echo laughed, grabbing his own glass to take a sip. He had totally forgotten his nails were still painted various shades of pink and purple with red and blue mixed in until he saw on of Kace's cousins eyeing his hand. Echo pulled his hand back quickly, hiding it away from the eyes. The guys just smiled, though, in that encouraging way that said he didn't actually care, just wanted to look.

Echo let out a small breath. That would not have been a fun conversation.

"The chicken here to to die for." Holly said with a smile.

Echo looked at her until he realized she was talking about the menu. "Oh, really?" he asked, picking the laminated booklet up and glancing over it.

"Yeah, and look at this," Kace leaned close to Echo, pointing at the paper. Their faces were closer than Echo ever remembered them being before and his heart nearly jumped out of his chest, face darkening. He was missing most of what Kace was saying, focusing on trying not to fidget too much instead.

The sudden sound of a wooden chair being pushed back against the hard floors pulled Echo's attention away from his situation as an older man stood up with anger written clearly across his face. The man must have been mid-fifties, with thin gray hair around the side of his head and a large, shinning bald spot on top. His face was a firm scowl as he started walking.

"You two need to stop that right now!" The man yelled, silencing all conversation in the restaurant. "People are trying to eat here!"

Echo furrowed his brow, looking around for what the man was taking about. When he looked over at Kace, who know had his head turned to stare at the man, he seemed to be more pissed than ever before. Even all of Echo's shenanigans while he was little never got him that look. It kind of scared the boy.

"You two need to stop!" The man yelled again.

Kace stood, face cold as stone as he spoke with a voice that sounded like it belonged in a serial killer. "Is there a problem, sir?"

"The problem is you and that trash you brought with you!" He said, wrinkling hand pointing as he spoke. "This is a decent place and people don't need to be seeing that as they eat!"

Echo could almost see steam blowing out of Kace's ears. Kace took a deep breath before speaking. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me, fag!" The man growled. "Get out! You and your faggot friend!"

Kace's hands were in tight fists as he tried to take a step closer, held back by a hand he didn't know was there until he felt it. He followed the hand to an arm, and then the face of his sister.

Holly stood, placing herself between Kace and the yelling man. "My brother has just as much right to be here as you do." Her voice was sharp, her wrath barely contained. 

"So the fag's sister has to protect him now?" The man scoffed.

"You need to leave." Mark said, standing up next to his wife, hand on her shoulder. "Now."

"I'm not going anywhere until the fag is face down in a ditch where he belongs!" The man yelled.

"Leave us alone, you jerk!" Echo yelled at the top of his lungs. He was standing too, tears running down his face. No one had the right to say that about Kace. No one had the right to say that about any other living thing! He didn't care if he was crying, either!

"Gonna cry now, fag?" The man taunted. "All of you are weak and should be killed on sight!"

A few other people stood up, yelling at the older man. Echo whipped his head around as a spoon went flying, noticing that the man from before that liked his nails was up and yelling too. 

It seemed like most of the restaurant was up, throwing things towards the man who was now being pushed out of the dinning room by several waiters and waitresses.

"Get out, old man!"  
"Your thoughts are outdated! Read a book, asshat!"  
"No one like you deserves to have a voice!"

So many things, coming from all around the room. The entire dinning room cheered as the man was finally pushed into the parking lot and out of the building. They threw fists in the air and whooped and hollered, even their own table and many of the people Echo simi-remembered from the funeral.

Tears wouldn't stop coming down his face though, large sobs escaping his lips as he hid his face in his hands. Echo couldn't stop them, no matter how hard he tried.

Kace took Echo's arm and guided him out a back door. Out of the building and facing a large wooded area where they wouldn't be disturbed. The man wrapped his arms tightly around Echo, holding him through the tears and shushing him as best he could.

"Wh--what i--if they r--r--really do put you f--fa--face down in a d--ditch?" Echo cried, sobs breaking through as he soaked Kace's shirt with tears.

So that's what this is about, the man thought. "Echo, I'm a big guy. That old man couldn't hurt me if her tried his very hardest on my worse day." Kace cooed, running his hand up and down the boy's back.

Echo just couldn't stop the images from flooding his head, each one worst than the last. What if it really did happen? What would he do? He liked Kace so much and he didn't know what he do without him.

He never thought he'd be the kind to latch onto someone so much. Sure, he did it a lot, but he was in denial, okay? And it's not like he had a very good track record when it came to guys he'd fallen for before. But none of them even came close to Kace. There was just no possible way they could.

Echo wiped his nose on the back of his hand, sniffling at the same time as he looked up into Kace's large blue eyes. In them was concern, held tightly between his iris and the lines of white in his eyes. 

"You gonna be okay?" Kace asked, hand never resting with it's up and down motion on his back.

Echo nodded. "I should be asking you that question." He forced a small smiled as Kace shook his head

"Really okay, though? I know you're not used to that..." Kace didn't really have a word to describe what happened. "Treatment."

Shrugging, Echo rested his head on Kace's chest. Just for a second as the last of his tears dried and his nose stopped running. "I've had this kind of thing happen before, but never to this extent."

"We were very lucky you have all these people on your side." Kace laughed, ruffling Echo's hair lightly.

Echo shook his head, playfully swatting at Kace's hand. "What do you mean 'on my side?'"

Kace smiled, hugging Echo close once more. "You're much more of a people-person than you let on, you know that?"

Echo shrugged, enjoying the hug. When Kace pulled back, Echo looked up at him. His face was so close and the boy could feel his stomach flipping.

Kace's face went from playful to serious very quickly, questioning himself before he leaned down. It wasn't a far distance and before he knew it, his lips were right on Echo's, kissing him as gently as he could before he pulled back.

His heart sank when he pulled back to see Echo completely still and shocked. He took a step back, face red as strawberries. "Echo, oh my god, I--I'm--"

He was quickly cut off as Echo stood on his tippy toes, leaning in for a deeper kiss. The boy was pretty sure he'd died and gone to heaven because there was no way he was kissing Kace. But when he opened his eyes and saw the man's face right next to his, lips soft and face full of emotion. Well, one emotion, mostly. The same thing Echo had fluttering around in his whole body from his head to his toes. 

When he pulled away, Kace's eyes fluttered open, a stupid grin spread across his face. "So I'll take that as a yes to the question I was going to ask when we got home?"

Echo tilted his head. "Depends on the question."

"Was going to ask you out to dinner. Just us. Small Italian place with dim lights and crappy music." Kace grinned.

"You're talking about that pizza place off Fourth, aren't you?" Echo laughed.

Kace shrugged. "Guess you'd have to say yes to find out."

Echo held a finger up to his lips in fake thought, looking up for a second before saying, "Guess I will."

Kace smiled, something large and pure that filled Echo with a feeling he couldn't quite describe. He wondered if the man felt the same. 

They stood there for a second longer while everything form the past five minutes sank in before Kace spoke up. "We better get back inside. There's only so long Holl is gonna wait before she starts asking questions."

Echo laughed and nodded, but then a questions popped into his head. "Hey, what does this make us? And are we still going to do that thing?"

Kace thought for a second, door knob in hand as he said, "How about we talk about the first part a little later and the second part is defiantly a yes. I enjoy my little boy too much to not."

Echo beamed, taking the answer for now as he walked back to the table.

Everyone smiled at them as they sat back down, Echo taking the left seat and Kace the right.

"So, where were we?" Kace asked, smile across his face.

"Chicken." Holly reminded, the same smile spread on her face.

"Ah, yes."


	80. Chapter 80

After dinner of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn, everyone sat around the table talking. Echo liked it, never having been part of a big family. Everyone was really nice to him, too, surprising both him and Kace. But it was really nice.

All of the thickness in the room had gone away, the chatter picking up more and more as everyone got more comfortable with each other. 

"Echo, what do you do?" The dark haired guy from before--Steve?--asked.

"Oh, uh, a little of everything." Echo said. "I used to be a filler employee, working tep jobs and such. I'm looking around for something with a little more promise right now."

"Really?" The other man asked. "You must have worked a lot of odd jobs then."

"Oh yeah, everything from McDonald's to construction." Echo nodded. Most people didn't see it the same way he did. They saw him as a guy who just couldn't hold a job instead of a guy looking for something interesting.

"That's awesome, man." The guy smiled. "Where're you working now."

"I'm in between jobs, right now." Not technically a lie. "I just moved back to my home town, so I'm looking around."

"Oh, yeah? Where's that?"

"Glacier County. About three hours from here." Echo said happily. "Though, with Kace driving, you may want to ride a snail instead. It'd probably be faster."

The table erupted in laughter, the man next to Steve saying, "Ever the slow driver, eh, Kace?"

"I'm not slow! I'm cautious!" Kace defended, voice raising a pitch or two. "Besides, like you have anywhere to talk, Mr. All-of-my-Friends-are-Cops-So-I'm-Going-to-go-Twenty-Over-the-Speed-Limit!"

The table laughed again as the lighter haired man waved his hand in front of his face. "Whatever! 'Least I don't drive like an old man!"

Kace laughed, digging his fork into a slice of pie that had been handed out to everyone.

"Hey, Echo, if you're really looking for a job, I have a friend up there who's looking for some help in his store. I don't have much information about it, but I can throw him your number if you'd like." Steve offered.

"Oh, yeah. That'd be great. Thanks." Echo said, taken aback by the man's offer. That was really nice of him.

"No problem man." Steve smiled and dug into his slice of pie.

Echo looked up at Kace, who gave him a large grin before ruffling his hair and taking the boy's right hand in his left.

They stayed like that for the rest of dinner, even as they got up to leave. They made their way outside, the night chill causing Echo to shiver. He'd left his suit jacket in the car after the cemetery and was now regretting it as everyone stood outside, carrying on more conversations.

Kace swung his jacket off, draping it over Echo's shoulders. The jacket hung loosely, several sizes too big, but Echo smiled up and tugged the thick fabric around him all the same, smiling a thanks up to Kace.

"We should probably all get going," Mary said after a long while of everyone just standing around. "Don't want to be in the way of other people. And don't forget, everyone is welcome back to my house tomorrow for a big breakfast before you head home."

People smiled, hugging Mary, Holy, and even Kace before walking back to their cars. Once most everyone was gone, Mary turned to her son and daughter.

"How are you two doing?" She asked.

"Mom, we should be asking you that." Holly half laughed. She leaned in, taking her mom into a big hug and rocking slightly. When they finally leaned back, the older woman had to wipe at her face.

"We're alright, mom." Kace said, wrapping him mom in the same deep hug. "How about you?"

"I'm going to be okay." Mary nodded as if to reassure herself before she forced a smile. "What about May?"

Echo looked over, noticing the girl was asleep against her father's chest with no intention of waking up anytime soon.

"She's okay." Holly shot a look over to Echo; a silent thank you. 

Mary let out a sigh and wiped at her eye one last time. She looked over to Echo, something in her eye the boy didn't recognize. "Al would never let me go without thanking you."

Echo was taking aback. "Uh, what?"

"For what you said to May. He couldn't stand to see that little girl cry." Mary smiled at memories of him and the girl playing. She was a real grandpa's girl. "You made her smile. I'm not sure how, but you did. Thank you."

Echo blushed, holding the jacket a little tighter around him. "No--no problem."

"We better get going, mom." Holly said, hugging her mom once more. "We'll be over tomorrow to help you with breakfast."

Mary nodded, hugging back before she waved everyone back to their cars. "Go get some rest and come hungry!"

Kace laughed, leading Echo by the hand back to the truck.

"I like your family." Echo smiled, keeping Kace's jacket around him as he buckled himself in, not caring if he wrinkled it.

Kace laughed, big a deep. "I thought you'd say that. They're nice people. Was not expecting anything that happened in there, though."

Echo looked at Kace, a questioning look across his face as the man started up the truck. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Kace pulled the truck out and onto the street, following behind the light's of his sister's car. "I don't know. Having all of them push that turd of a guy out... I didn't think they'd ever do that. They never seemed like they would, anyway."

Echo thought for a second, watching as tree after tree passed. "Maybe time really does change all things. Even minds."

Kace let that sink in, the silence filled with his thoughts and the soft music in the radio. When Kace looked over, he saw Echo slumped in his seat, the jacket wrapped around him as he slept. Kace smiled, pulling the jacket up a little. "Maybe you're right."

When they got to the house, Holly and Mark had already made it inside with May, so Kace decided to not wake Echo and carried him from the car to their room. He could hear Mark and Holly talking lightly in May's room as they passed.

Once in their room with the door closed, Kace gently undressed Echo, out of his button up and slacks and into a pair of basket ball shorts. Halfway through, Echo woke slightly, pushing Kace's hands away without actually doing anything. "I do it." He moaned.

Kace smirked. "Yeah, because you're so awake." He pulled the shorts up the boy's hips and settled them there.

Echo let out a grunt, but was back asleep in seconds. Kace pulled him up the bed and pulled up the covers before undressing himself and leaving on his undershirt before pulling on pajama bottoms and sliding in behind Echo. He played big spoon as he tucked close to Echo, wrapping his arm around the boy and his nose was right at the base of the boy's neck.

The next morning was kind of a blur to both Echo and Kace. It passed so quickly it was almost weird. Breakfast had been a large platter of eggs and bacon and sausage and hashbrowns and lots of other food that Echo didn't even want to think about right now. Mary had insisted he eat everything.

"You're too small!" she'd said. "Eat up! Put some meat on those bones!"

Kace had laughed, but felt kind of bad for Echo. It was a lot of food.

He sat in the passenger seat, half way between awake and asleep with his face against the center consul and head pushed against Kace's arm. Kace laughed, eyes shifting between the road and the boy next to him. 

"Sorry about mom." He said, rubbing the boy's head gently.

Echo moaned an "it's okay," leaning into the touch. "Was'ome 'eally goo' foo' 'ough."

Kace laughed, continuing his rubbing as he said, "I'm glad you liked it."

The rest of the ride was mostly silent, a little bit of radio mixed in as Kace drove home. He made good time, considering week day traffic. Echo was awake for the last twenty or-so minutes before they pulled into the familiar drive way.

Elliott and Gracie had been sitting in the living room as Jake started barking and the garage door opened.

"They're home." Gracie smiled, standing to settle Jake.

Elliott tackled his twin in a hug when he walked through the door.

"Ugh! Elli!" Echo said, only half-scolding the man. "Let me go!"

"How could I ever let my little brother, who went all that way away on his own, go?" Elliott said dramatically.

Kace laughed, setting their bags to the side to pet Jake.

"'Asn't alone! And we're twins! You're only older by, like, three minutes!" Echo said, taking in deep breaths as Elliott finally released him. "What did you all do while we were gone, anyway?" 

Elliott and Gracie shared a smile before Elliott changed the subject. "So, I'll take the fact that is been a few days and you're smiling as an, 'it went well?'"

Kace looked over to Echo, who was currently picking up a meowing Leo, and smiled softly. "Yeah. A lot better than I though it would."

"Kace has a huge family." Echo said, face completely serious. "I've never seen so many people in one room before."

Elliott laughed, "Just wait until you met Gracie and Frasier's family."

Echo's eyes went big. "No way."

"Yup," Gracie nodded. "Besides me and Frasier, I have three other older brothers and four nephews. Ma and Pa have three bothers and sisters each, who all have a lot of kids. I have fourteen cousins, and only two of them are boys. Then we get to my great aunts and uncles and it gets pretty crazy at family reunions."

Echo could feel his jaw drop. "Holy..."

"No wonder you mess up names all the time." Kace laughed.

Gracie rolled her eyes with a smile. "Need any help carrying the bags?" She glanced towards Elliott and Echo, telling Kace that she wanted to leave them alone for a second.

Kace caught it quickly and nodded his head. "Yeah, actually, that'd be great."

"I can help." Echo said, putting Leo down and reaching for a bag until it was pulled away before he could reach it.

"No, I wanna help." Gracie said, following Kace towards the front stairs.

Echo and Elliott watched them as they disappeared from sight before Elliott cleared his throat. "So, what happened?"

"What?" Echo swung his head around to face his twin.

"Between you and Kace. Something happened." Elliott had the small smirk to his face that said he knew something was up.

Echo blushed, ducking his head. "Nothing."

Elliott eyes his brother, one brow raised as he said, "Uh, huh." He waited for Echo to take a breath and look at him before he asked, "So, did you kiss him?"

The flash of red across Echo's face was almost cartoonistic. "What?"

"Fuuuuuuck," Elliott moaned, hand raised to pinch the place where his nose met his brow.

"What's that for!" Echo squealed. He'd meant it to come out as assertive, but his face was way too red for that.

"Do you have any idea how annoying it is to lose a bet to Gracie? She's never going to let this one go." Elliott slumped back into the couch. A solid, defeated, plop.

"Bet?"

"Yeah, Gracie and I had a bet going. Gracie was saying you two were finally come to your freaking senses and figure out your feelings for each totter while you where there." Elliott sighed. "I was betting for when you got back."

"You were betting on us!" Echo asked, his voice astonished and annoyed at the same time.

A sudden squeal roared through the the house, quickly followed by the sound of light feet jumping down the stairs. "You owe me twenty bucks and a nice dinner!" Gracie laughed over the banister and into the living room.

"Hey! We only bet dinner!" Elliott said, sitting up on the couch.

"For the kiss. They also have a date planned!" Gracie snickered.

Elliott let out a loud moan and slumped back into the couch again. "Really, guys!"

Gracie walked down the rest of the stairs and sat down on the couch before she swung her feet up and rested her head in her boyfriend's lap. "I'm thinking Sushi."

Echo walked up the stairs, confused as all get out as he made way to his room. Kace was already in there, the same confused look plastered across his face as he threw the dirty clothes from the past few days into the hamper.

"We really have to get them back for that." Kace sighed, turning around to face the boy.

"Agreed." Echo smirked as small ideas formed in his head. 

Kace took a few steps forward and wrapped his arms around Echo, kissing him lightly and the boy leaning into it with everything he had. A simple kiss and nothing more, no deep, hidden desire, no crazy attachments. Just a kiss. Echo liked that.

"Get a room!" Elliott laughed from the hall.

Kace rolled his eyes. "Get a life, perve." 

"Just lock the door when you guys are going all your weird, kinky sex stuff, okay. We don't want to see that." Elliott tried to shake the images from his mind that were already forming.

"Shut up." Echo said, rolling his eyes. Elliott knew damn-well that Echo didn't even like _sex. ___"Or I'll tell Gracie about your obsession with dominetrics when we were in high school."

_Elliott's eyes went big as he glanced down the hall. "Dude, so not cool!"_

_Echo laughed, Kace's "oh snap!" face looking amused as Elliott walked off._

_"So, dinner," Kace said, trying to think and talk at the same time. "Just us, some bad pizza, and some soda?"_

_Echo smiled. "Sounds awesome."_

_"Alright. Well, I'm going to go unpack and try and get everything ready for work tomorrow. You okay just chilling for a while?" Kace asked, pulling away and trying very had to keep a blush down._

_"Yup! Have fun!" Echo smiled, kissing Kace's cheek one last time before the man walked off and Echo went to find Leo again._

_He ended up in the back yard after a while, laying in the shade under the large oak tree with Jake's fuzzy, panting body lying next to him. It was a beautiful day in the shade, and Echo could see a small birds next in the higher branches. Everything just seemed so much... Brighter._

_"I'm gonna go with my gut and say the grin plastered on your face has something to do with Kace." Elliott said, startling Echo._

_"Elliott!" Echo puffed, sitting up as his twin took a spot next to him._

_"So that's a yes then?" Elliott teased._

_Echo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, so?"_

_"I'm happy for you." Elliott said. Echo had to analyze his brother's face for a second before he realized the man was being completely honest._

_Echo nodded his head. "Thank you."_

_Elliott leaned back and Echo followed, their heads side by side as their feet stuck out._

_"I wonder if the us from ten years ago would ever believe this is how it will be soon?" Elliott posed. "I know I sure as hell wouldn't believe anything like Gracie would be waiting for me."_

_"I think fourteen-year-old-you would have punch current-you in the face." Echo laughed._

_"Thirteen." Elliott laughed, shaking his head. "You and this trying-to-be-older-than-you-are thing."_

_Echo let out a moan. "Whatever."_

_They say in silence fore a little longer before Elliott spoke up. "I really am happy for you guys, though. Kace is a great guy. You'll be happy together."_

_Echo laughed, "Yeah, he really is."_

_"Speaking of which, I think you have a date to get ready for." Elliott teased, slapping his bother's thigh as he got up._

_"Oh, crap." Echo's face sank. "I have no idea what to do."_

_"What do you mean 'you don't know what to do?'" Elliott asked with a half-forced laugh. "You've been on dates before."_

_Echo shook his head. "Not really. All two of the other guys I've been with... They weren't really into dates."_

_Elliott smiled for a second, thinking it was a joke. "Wait, seriously?"_

_Echo nodded, face completely terrified._

_Elliott had to push back anger as he rubbed a hand down his face. "Okay. Okay. Come with me. Let's see what we can do."_

_They walked into the house, Echo trailing behind his twin as Elliott demanded details of their date. Echo really didn't have many answers, but tried the best he could as they walked into Elliott's room. Who had never really been in the room before,and almost couldn't believe the size._

_The king sized bed was dwarfed in the large room, which had its own little sitting area and a few arrivals of clothing strewn across the floor. The closet Elliott walked into next nearly blew Echo away._

_"Yeah, fourteen-year-old-you would defiantly punch you in the face." Echo laughed, thumbing through some of the shirts that were hanging up._

_Elliott rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Here, try this on."_

_Echo looked at a light blue button up shirt that was pushed into his hands, saying, "You're bigger than me. None of your stuff is going to fit."_

_"Trust me, okay?" Elliott laughed, pushing his brother out of the large closet and into the main room with a few other things in his hands._

_Echo rolled his eyes, but pulled off his t-shirt all the same and put on the button up. He was surprised to find that it really did fit. And really well, too._

_"Got some stuff made for you in case you ever had to come to one of the team dinners." Elliott explained when Echo looked up, confused. "Isn't want to tell little you cause that would have been lame."_

_Echo laughed, silently thanking his brother as the man handed over a thick pair of jeans that looked like they cost more than his life along with a pair of dress shoes._

_"Keep is casual, but always look good." Elliott said. "Button ups with no tie and no jacket only work when you're wearing jeans, but nice shoes are always in style."_

_Echo nodded, taking in everything his brother said as he pulled off his pants a slipped on the jeans._

_"Don't get to nervous, though. Don't worry about screwing up. Remember, it's as much his first date with you as it is your first date with him. You're both going to be jittery and a little scared, but you're also going to have a lot of fun." Elliott tossed deodorant at Echo, along with a white undershirt and socks and Echo had to undo his shirt as he was listening, but he kept a close ear to his brother's words. "And remember, if nothing else, you can never go wrong with conversation topics like music, art, and sports. Also, silence isn't always awkward. Balance is key."_

_"Okay, but, what if all of that goes wrong and I forget everything?" Echo asked, now fully dressed._

_"Remember these two words," Elliott said, taking his brother's shoulders in his hands and shaking them gently. "Be yourself."_

_Echo nodded, "Okay."_

_"Now, I believe your date is waiting for you." Elliott said, turning him around and shoving him gently towards the door._

_Echo's feet took over as he walked out of the room and down the hall, descending the stairs worriedly._

_Kace looked up when he heard footstep, watching as Echo made his way down the stairs. The boy had a nervous smile across his face, but it was genuine and made Kace smile back._

_"You look great." Kace smiled, reaching out to take Echo's hand._

_Echo blushed, looking down as his hand slipped into the larger one. "Thanks. You too."_

_Which wasn't a lie at all. Kace was dressed in a long sleeved plaid button up with the top two buttons undone and the shirt hanging loosely. His hair had been slicked back then spiked at the front with a touch of gel. Echo couldn't stop the feeling of inferiority that rose in his chest as he took the last step._

_"You ready to go?" Kace asked, jingling his keys._

_Echo nodded and started towards the garage door. He was heading for the old ford truck when he was stopped by Kace, who had opened the passenger side of a two door, red Dodge Charger._

_"What's all this?" Echo asked, sliding in. Kace smiled down at him before closing the door and running to the other side and taking the driver's seat._

_"Figured we should go in style." Kace laughed, buckling in before starting up the engine. "Besides, Elliott told me that if I took his brother out for our first date in that 'hunk-of-junk' he would kill me."_

_Echo laughed, all of his nervousness lost as Kace pulled out of the driveway and they were on their way._


	81. Chapter 81

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So... this is it... Just about anyway. I'm going to do one last chapter for an epilogue, but then I'm moving on! Than you guys so much for keeping up and reading and all your support!

The restaurant, it turned out, was the stupid pizza place Echo joked about. He'd been there many times before with other people. The lighting was horrible, usually half of the lights out and the other half filled with flies. The music was a whole different meaning of bad as everything from hair bands to techno played. The food wasn't half bad, usually little more than bread covered in "pizza sauce" and hidden under cheese and any topping you want. It had never really been considered a date spot.

That was, until Echo and Kace were sitting at a back table laughing and talking and eating bad pizza and it became a magical spot. To Echo, the whole world seemed to fade away as if it wasn't important. He could listen to Kace talk for days. And unlike most of the guys before, Echo didn't want to turn off his hearing aides. Everything Kace said meant something. It wasn't just stupid things, like work or sports, either. He talked about everything. Somehow the conversation had drifted to astronauts, and Echo loved it.

"I was so dead set on being the next Armstrong that I had my mom buy me a science book all about rockets." Kace laughed, the smile contagious. "I studied that thing for months but there was one thing holding me back."

"What was that?" Echo mused, taking a sip of his soda.

"I didn't understand a single word in that book." Kace chuckled, shaking his head. "Never have been good at math."

"But you do a lot of it now, don't you?" Echo asked. "With work and stuff?"

"Oh, yeah, but that's mostly programs doing the work." Kace took a slice of pizza off the large platter and bit into it. It wasn't half bad. "What did you wanna do when you grew up?"

Echo thought for a second. "You really wanna know?"

Kace sat forward, wiping his hands on a napkin as he smiled. "Now I really, really wanna know."

Echo laughed, then said, "I wanted to be a journalist."

Kace was taken aback for a second. "Seriously?"

"Well, yeah," Echo grinned. "Figured I couldn't be Superman, so I should be Clark, right?"

Kace smiled endearingly. "I swear if you get any cuter--"

Echo let out a loud laugh, having to hold his stomach as he threw his head back. He couldn't remember ever laughing this hard in his life.

"What do you say we blow this popsicle stand and get some air?" Kace asked.

Echo nodded, scouting out of the booth and pulling out his wallet. He had forgot to carry it for a while, but he remembered tonight.

"Nuh-uh," Kace said, holding his hand up to stop Echo from pulling anything out. "This is on me."

He threw a few bills on the table and took Echo's hand, leading him back outside. The chill of the night air bit at their faces lightly as they walked down the road. The city was still mostly alive, several people walking along with them as they made their way up the street.

They didn't talk as much, but it wasn't a weird silence, either. It was just peaceful. Echo loved every second of it.

They made their way to a small lull of grass with a tail going through it and a few park benches. It could be considered a park if you had an open mind, but it was mostly just known for being a square block of nothing but grass and trees and flowers. They took a seat under a well lit bench, hands tangled around each other as they pushed it back and forth. The sun was long gone, and all of the lights his the night sky, but both men swore it was the most beautiful array of stars they had ever seen.

"This has to have been the most fun I have had with a single other person ever." Kace said.

Echo looked up, a smiled reaching from ear to ear. "It's definitely up there."

"Up there?" Kace laughed, sensing the boy's tease. "Just 'up there?' Not even, like, top five?"

"Oh, defiantly in the top five," Echo nodded. "Right behind my eighteenth birthday and meeting this one guy on a football field."

Kace rose and eyebrow in amusement. "Who's this guy you met? I wanna meet him!"

Echo shook his head. "Nope. You can't. He's much cooler than you. Really hot, too."

"What!" Kace's whole face was mock-surprise. "No way! No one's better looking than me!"

Echo laughed, that same big kind of laugh that hurts your stomach. "Oh, he's much better. Eats five dozen eggs in the morning and decorated with nothing but antlers!"

"No way!" Kace moaned. "I'm losing to a cartoon! How pathetic is that!"

"Yup!" Echo smiled, happy that Kace got the reference.

They sat for a little longer, swinging and enjoying the people as they walked by before Kace stood up, offering a hand to Echo and saying, "We should probably get heading home."

When they were back in the Charger and heading towards home, Kace's phone rang. He handed it over to Echo to answer so he could drive.

"Hello?" Echo answered.

"Hey, Kace, it's Steve." The other side rang out. "Sorry about calling so late, but I talked to my buddy up there in Glacier and he said he's be happy to meet Echo!" 

Ecco squeezed. "No way!" Kace looked over with a questioning look as he said, "Oh, sorry Steve. This is Echo. Kace is driving."

"Oh, awesome. Then I'll take it got got the news?" Steve joked.

"Yeah, this is great! Thank you so much!" Echo slapped Kace's arm in excitement.

"Hey, don't thank me yet." Steve laughed. "Think you can make an interview at two?"

Echo nodded his head, then, realizing the Steve wouldn't get that, said, "Yes! Defiantly!"

Steve handed over the address of the place and hang up with a wish of good luck, leaving Echo way stoked.

"What was all of that and why were you hitting me?" Kace asked, amused.

"Remember that guy that your cousin Steve said was looking for some help in his store? I have an interview with him tomorrow at two!"

"Oh, that's awesome!" Kace said, now a mirroring smile across his face as well. 

When Kace pulled into the drive way, he could see the lights on in the living room and shook his head at the thought of Elliott staying up until they got home. That was something he would do, though. He opened the garage and pulled the car in, shutting it off and swinging his door open. He ran around the car and got the door for Echo before the boy had a chance to do it himself.

As they walked in, the TV was paused and Elliott's head turned around to face them. The chair then swung around, his hands wiping absently at a double barrel shot gun with a torn cloth. "Welcome back."

Echo twisted his head, unconsciously moving behind Kace just slightly as the man stuck his hand out to push in closer to his back. "What's with the gun?"

Elliott laughed, twisting the chair back around and setting the gun on the coffee table. "Gracie's dad lent it to me. Thought it would be funny."

Kace shook his head, a smile pulling at his lips as he realized what Elliott was doing. "Okay, dad, well, I got him home in time and in one piece."

Elliott let out another laugh and stood up, a soft smile stairing at the pair in front of him. "Have fun?"

Echo shook his head, grinning up at Kace. "Yeah, lots."

"Was he a gentleman?" Elliott was asking to play the part of "over protective dad when daughter goes on date" but he also really did want to know. 

"The gentleman-liest." Echo laughed, hands finding Kace's with not effort.

Elliott nodded his head, rubbing at an imaginary beard in face thought. "Fine, I guess he can live. For now."

Kace bowed his head just slightly. "Thank you, sir."

"Yeah yeah yeah. You youngsters have fun!" Elliott laughed, heading for the front stairs and to his room. "Try to keep it down though. Us old folk are trying to sleep!"

Echo giggled as Elliott waved then disappeared. He leaned his head onto Kace's shoulder for a moment, eyes closed to savor the warmth.

"Come on, bud. I'm tired too." Kace said, gently tugging him towards the stairs and to Echo's room. 

Echo really was tired, much more than he thought he could be. He hadn't even noticed Kace was carrying him until they were up the stairs. When had that happened?

Kace helped him out of his button-up, throwing it and his pants into the laundry bin before getting a pair of shorts for the boy.

"No' li'le." Echo informed, rubbing his eyes with his hands. And he really wasn't. He was just really tired.

"I know, but you're nearly asleep on your feet. Just wanted to help. Can't a boyfriend do that?" Kace said calmly. "Why don't you head on to bed? It's been a long day and I'm about to do the same."

Echo nodded and Kace made his way out of the room. It took him a second before the words hit him, knocking out his breath.

Boyfriend.

Echo had a boyfriend! If he hadn't been so tired, he would have whooped and hollered all night!

He looked over to his bed, then across the hall where he could just barely see Kace moving around. His bed was really nice, but Kace kept bad dreams away. And he was warm. Even his adult self liked that. Besides, boyfriends could sleep together without doing anything weird, right? So he trudged his way over to Kace's room and plopped down on the bed. He was out in seconds, unaware of Kace as he laughed and tucked the boy in.

The next day, after Kace had gotten his very excited boyfriend (Echo was still not used to it but he did like it) to eat something before they left for the interview. Echo was dressed in his nice clothes again, hands a little sweaty as the street corner came closer and closer. He nearly squealed when they reached the building.

It was a little more colorful than the shop around it, posters hanging in the window and a large sign naming the place, "Ben's Comics." A smaller line under it read, "For all your new and used comic and graphic novel needs."

Kace sat in the truck as Echo walked in, having to tear his hand away from the man's.

"I'll be here when you get back, okay. Keep eye contact and be yourself." Kace encouraged.

Echo nodded and padded into the building.

The place smelled a little musty, the mix of new and old books coming together with the old carpet for a smell that screamed book store. A man stood behind the counter, face buried in a book. He looked up and smiled as Echo walked in.

"Welcome. First time here?" His voice asked. It was deep, almost more than Kace's.

Echo nodded, swallowing as he said, "Yeah, I'm actually here for an, um, interview with the, uh, owner." His voice spiked on the last word, making it sound a bit more like a question than a statement.

"Oh, you must Be Echo." The man smiled, flashing a row of slightly crooked, but otherwise clean teeth. He walked around the counter, sticking his hand out. "I'm Ben."

Echo smiled and shook the man's hand. "Good to met you. This is a really awesome store."

Ben smiled, eyes scanning the small area. "Eh, it's not much. But we're getting bigger and I've been looking around for someone with a little knowledge and a good head on their shoulders to help me out." He glanced Echo, eyes caught on his ears for a second before they moved on. "Up for a little test?"

Echo thought, but then nodded. " Yes, sir."

Ben nodded, a smile playing at his lips as he said, "Alight then. Marvel of DC?"

"DC." Echo replied, no thought needed.

"Top two?"

"Superman and Green Lantern. John Stewart, not Hal Jordan. I like both, but John's story is better thought through."

Ben nodded his head approvingly. "Top two Marvel?"

That took a little more thought. Marvel was cool, yes, but spitting out Iron Man or Hulk seemed lame. Then May came to mind. "Hawkeye and Spiderman."

An eye brow raised on the man's face in amusement. "Interesting choice."

"Interesting that you find it so interesting." Echo threw back with a smile.

Ben smiled. "I like your chutzpah, kid. When could you start and what hours could you work?"

Echo's eyes went big. "You mean I'm hired?"

Ben nodded, a smile form ear to ear. He stuck out his hand and said, "Welcome to Team Comic Crazy."

Echo shook it, grin wider than he thought possible. He filled out a paper and was given instructions to return for his first day some in two days.

He ran out to the truck, pounding onto the door in excitement.

"I'll take that face to mean you got the job?" KAce teased, throwing the car into gear as Echo latched his seat belt.

"Yeah! Can you believe it! I'm going to be working around stuff I love!" Echo slapped his knees, smiling at the world.

Kace let him enjoy his moment before he grabbed his hands, landing a soft kiss of his hand.

Echo grinned at him, every tooth showing before he shied away, asking, "Hey, do you think, you know, when we get home, we can..."

Kace caught on instantly. "Of course we can, baby."


	82. Epilouge

“Echo! Come on! We gotta get going!” Kace called from the living room.

Echo padded into the room, arms out at his sides as he asked, “How do I look?”

Kace smiled at his boyfriend, currently dressed in a suit made with a soft fabric that was almost too black. It brought out the green in Echo’s eyes and the blond in his hair. He looked dashing, but one thing was missing. “Where are your shoes?”

Echo looked down, then up with a shrug.

Rolling his eyes, Kace tilted his head and twisted his body, looking around for the box. He found it on the floor by the couch and bent down to pick it up, then took it to Echo with a soft kiss on his cheek. “You look amazing.”

Echo could feel blush flash across his face and he looked down at the box in his hands. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“Kind of gives you butterflies, huh?” Kace joked, before pulling Echo chin up and kissing him softly on the lips. “Don’t worry, okay. It’s going to be perfect. We’ve planned out every detail and gone over the list twice. Today is going to be the most amazing day.”

Echo nodded his head, letting out a breath. “Okay.”

He sat down to put on his shoes, Kace grabbing the last few things and then they were out the door.

In the year they had been together, a lot of things had changed. For one, Elliott had redesigned the house a bit and added a whole new wing that was just for them. That way, as Elliott had said, “I can keep close eye on you and we can still be together, but you also can get out of my hair.” 

The two parts of the house only had one place where you could get in and out of the sides, and that was the living room. Otherwise, Elliott and Echo had gotten their own kitchen (“So you stop eating all my damn food.”) and set of rooms. More than they really needed, even with all of their age play suplies in one and them sleeping in another. There were still two spare rooms and an unused bathroom between them.

They still played and quite often, but more on the weekends. Echo got to enjoy and let go of the world for a while, and Kace was able to put everything he had into making one person happy. 

Echo’s job at the comic store had gone a lot further than anyone could have predicted. Ben and Echo had become quick friends, which lead to where the boy stood, now co-owner of the store. This was due to Ben wanting a little more free time and Echo being the fast learner he was.

“You ready?” Kace yelled, causing Echo to jump up and run out of the house.

“Yup!” Echo smiled behind Kace.

Kace spun around quickly, looking down at the mischievous smile spreading his boyfriend’s face. “Really?” he asked, shaking his head and opening the door on his truck.

Echo laughed and slid into the car.

The trip to the church was faster than they remembered from the day before, Echo’s hands shaking a small amount in anticipation. This day was a collection of months of planning and arguing and compromise. But it would all be worth it in the long run.

The parking lot was almost full when they pulled in. Kace found a spot quickly and they walked into the double doors, the noise of many moving feet echoing around the hall. Things were still being set up, but the room already looked amazing. The flowers, yellow and orange with additions of baby’s breath tying the tablecloths and tableware all together.

“Wow, it looks even better than I thought it would.” Echo said, reaching out to poke one of the lilies gently.

Kace laughed, rustling the his boyfriend's hair. “Yeah yeah, you can admire it after the ceremony. Right now, I believe you are needed in the bride’s chamber.”

Echo followed with his eyes as Kace pointed to a door conveniently labeled with a silver plaque. “Alright, I guess I’ll see you on the runway, then?”

“Yep,” Kace said, kissing Echo’s temple before he had the chance to get to far. “Good luck.”

Echo smiled, kissing Kace’s lips softly. “You too.”

And then he was gone, slipping behind the door as kace walked up a small flight of stairs to where the groom's room was.

An hour later, Kace stood at the front of almost two hundred people people. He only recognized a few of the crowd as the ceremony started. Women dressed in cream-colored dressed made their way after him, each girl taking a seat in the front row. Kace’s eyes shot over to Elliott, who stood stiffly next to him.

And then Echo was walking next to a taller lady in the same dress as the other girls, but with flowers pinned to the front. Kace let out a chuckle as Echo waved excitedly at his boyfriend before standing next to the other girls.

Once everyone was situated, the whole crowd stood as Gracie made her way in, her father next to her the whole way. Elliott took in a sharp breath as the woman smiled at him. For that split second, the music disappeared and the audience didn’t exist. It was just him and Gracie as she walked towards him. Only the feeling of someone nudging him pulled him out of his trance. When he looked over, Kace was holding out a handkerchief with a sly smile on his face.

Elliott accepted it and dabbed at his eyes as Gracie close the last few feet and stood at his side.

“I thought we agreed not to cry.” Gracie smiled, hand on Elliott’s face.

“I thought we agreed that you wouldn’t take my breath away like that.” he retorted with a laugh.

“If you all are done crying, we have an entire crowed to bring to tears.” Kace leaned over to say.

Gracie and Elliott both laughed, nodding their heads.

The priest started, opening with a few words, hitting each one just right to bring tears to people’s eyes as he carried on into the exchange of vows. They had each written their own, finding it much more fun than the basic, run-of-the-mill exchange most people do. It still followed the normal “I promise to love you forever” sort of thing, but with much more them.

Once the man announced, “You may now kiss the bride!” The audience erupted into applause.

The crowd filed back inside and the family stayed where they were, pictures needing to be taken. After every photo that could have possibly been thought of was on an SD drive, Gracie’s parents and Elliott walked back inside, leaving Kace and Echo in the garden for a moment.

“You know, that wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.” Echo said. “I thought it would hurt a lot more, but I’m just really happy.”

“Why would it hurt?” Kace asked. He knew his boyfriend had been stressed about the event, but this wasn’t something he’d voiced before.

“You know, losing Elli.” Echo sighed. He took a seat on a concrete bench and Kace followed him.

Kace nodded. “Yeah, I could see that. But it’s not like you’re losing him. He’ll be right down the hall from us, right?”

Echo laughed. “Yeah, you’re right.”

They sat in silence for a bit, enjoying the peace before Kace spoke up. “We better get inside.”

Echo nodded and stood with the man, taking his hand as they made their way inside. Music was already playing in the background as everyone sat with plate loaded in front of them. 

Kace pushed for Echo to eat everything, even the weird slimy stuff that turned out to taste pretty okay. 

“So, Kace, how’d you get roped into Bride’s man?” Frasier asked.

Kace laughed as Gracie's reached over to slap her brother. “I didn't get roped in. I offered. Well, not to fill the position, but to help out with the wedding and stuff when I wasn't working.”

“Guy’s got a real sense of style, even if he doesn't show it.” Gracie smiled.

She didn't really mention that they had actually become really close friends, which no one saw coming. 

“Plus, I meant I didn't have to decide between by brother and my best friend and my brother for who was going to be my best man.” Elliott smiled at the table.

Everyone rolled their eyes. Like that would have been a hard decision. Once the food was done and the dishes cleared, the dancing started.

First it was a slow song, one that Echo smiled as he remember the conversation. 

_”It better not be cheesy!” Gracie's said, slapping Elliott’s knee. They say on the couch, surrounded by magazines spread open and cloth splotches._

_“It won't be!” Elliott said, reacting by pulling his knee close to his chest like she’s actually hurt him. “It's a little old, but I think it'll be perfect.”_

_“But why won't you tell me what it is?” Gracie whined, hands in the air as they gripped papers tightly._

_“Because I want it to be a surprise.” Elliott smiled, leaning in a kissing her gently._

_It was at that point that both Echo and Kace started balling less important papers and throwing it at them, yelling, “Get a room!”_

Gracie had tried up to the very last moment to figure out what the song was, but neither man would break. Even when she offered Echo ice cream when he was little. She was close, but his loyalty to Elliott beat out want for sweets.

But as the first few notes play and Elliott escorted her to the dance floor, her face lit up. He wrapped a hand around her waist, the other gently taking her hand as he smiled at her shocked face. 

“You did not.” She said, a smile from ear to ear.

Elliott leaned in for what Gracie thought was a kiss before his head went to the side, his lips next to his ear as he whispered words right from his heart.

_”I sent out on a narrow way many years ago/ hoping I could find true love along the broken road._

“I was twelve when this song came out. Back then, I never thought I'd be able to apply it to anyone because of everything that was going on. But I swore to myself, that if I ever had the chance romaine this song real in my life, I'd play it at my wedding.” Elliott said. Gracie’s face was looking over his shoulder, but she was so focused on the words her husband was saying that she didn't register anything else.

_”But I got lost a time or two,/ wiped my brow, keep pushing through./ I couldn't see how every sign/ pointed straight to you.”_

“You mean everything to me, and with this song I promise you that, no matter what, I will love you forever.” He felt her hand lift away from his waist and it appears a moment later as it rubbed at her eye. “I don't break my promises.”

_”Every long lost dream led me to where you are./ Others who broke my heart,/ they were like northern stars./ Pointing me on my way/ isn't your loving arms._

_They locked eyes, her chocolate brown meeting his grass green. Then she smiled, slapping his shoulder and leaning her head into his chest. “You're such a sap.”_

__”This much I know is true:/ That god blessed the broken road/ that led me straight to you.”_ _

_When the song ended, they shared a kiss. Something more than a peck but less than full make-out. People cheered and clapped again as the DJ spoke up._

_“Alright, I wanna see all the baby girls with their dad’s on the dance floor!” He said, waving his hand through the air._

_A few girls stood up, dragging older men with them and Gracie stayed where she was, hand held out as her father approached._

_Another country song came on, this one perfect for the occasion as well as the men waved around their daughters. After that, they kind of broke tradition. Usually, a mother-son dance would follow. But, due to the fact that the groom was lacking a mother, they skipped right into dance music._

_The center of the floor was full of people as they moved around and danced. Kace took Echo, practitioners dragging him out to dance. The boy was a little resistant, but eventually loosened up and let himself be twirled around the floor._

_When the DJ announced, “Now this one’s gonna be a little slow for all those future wedding throwers.” The crowd laughed, but Kace pulled Echo closer, wrapping his arms around the boy as they danced._

_“Kace, I--I don’t know how to slow dance.” Echo said and tried to pull back, only succeeding in stepping on the man’s feet. “Sorry, but I told you--”_

_“Echo, it’s okay.” Kace laughed. “I don’t know either. You don’t have to be good to try.”_

_Echo sighed, but tried to follow and got pretty far before he stepped on Kace’s foot again. The boy winced, but Kace just laughed, putting their foreheads together and humming to the song._

_They stayed like that for the next song too, because They were both too lost in each other’s eyes to notice it change._

_When the sun started to set behind the tree line, the DJ called everyone to silence to let the bride and groom say a few words._

_“We’d like to thank everyone for coming out and all the wonderful gifts,” Elliott said, giving a wide smile and looking around at the truly amazing turn out. “It has been a great night and it’s all thank to you guys.”_

_Gracie shoved him out of the way before she said, “And we have some special news to share with you all.”_

_Elliott looks at her a little confused before she whispered something and his eyes went big._

_“We weren’t completely positive until the morning, but..” She smiled at Elliott as she said the last few words. “We are overjoyed to announce an addition to the family.”_

_Several people sqeeked around the room and other people caught on._

_“Actually, it’s two additions.” Elliott smiled._

_Echo stared at his brother in disbelief, then at Kace. “No way.”_

_“Yeah, it’s impressive. She must be almost three months pregnant and she’s not even showing.” Kace said, rubbing his chin in thought._

_“I meant that they didn’t tell us until now!” Echo said, slapping his boyfriend in the chest._

_Kace laughed and draped an arm over Echo’s shoulders. “You haven’t noticed the morning sickness? Or the fact that they keep talking about names they like?” Kace had guessed last week after he found a letter in the mail from an expecting mother’s catalouge._

_“No!” Echo sighed and slumped down a bit. He couldn’t believe Elliott hadn’t told him first._

_Once the clapping and whooping died down, Elliott’s face thoroughly flushed, he walked back to the microphone. “Anyway, we would like you all to enjoy the party and the open bar, but we do have a plane to catch and a honeymoon to get started.”_

_People started clapping again, someone even throwing in the cat-call whistle in the back which made everyone laugh._

_“Shall we?” Elliott asked, his hand outstretched to his new wife._

_“We shall.” Gracie smiled , taking the hand and walking off stage._

_“Wait!” One of the bride’s maid said, running over to her with the bouquet of flowers she had carried during the ceremony. “You have to throw them, don’t forget.”_

_Gracie let out an, “Oh yeah,” and took the flowers. She let go of Elliott’s hand and turned around._

_The room turned eerily quiet, so much so that Echo reached up to make sure his hearing aides were still working. He watch confused as Gracie turned back around with a wide grin from ear to ear, walking towards him._

_“Wha~” Echo started as the flowers were forced into his hand. Gracie pointed to the right, and when Echo looked over, he could see the top of Kace’s dark hair brushed to the side and spiked lightly the way he liked it._

_“Echo Henry Sumpter, you have given my life purpose beyond what I ever thought possible. Every day with you shows me something new and I fall in love with you even more. Will you stay by my side for the rest of my life.” Kace’s eyes were so full and Echo couldn’t feel air in his lungs anymore._

_Tears fell down his face and his hands cupped around his mouth and nose. There was just no way this was happening. Not to him. The last year had been so amazing, but something in the back of his head still told him that he would wake up and it would be gone._

_“Echo,” Kace said, his voice even softer as he held up the thin silver band encased in white cloth. “Will you marry me?” Suddenly, Kace’s entire being was held in what that tear meant._

_And then he nodded, a small, almost unnoticed movements and Kace’s heart thumped in his chest. The nodding grew in size with every second._

_Echo wrapped his arms around Kace, crying. “Always. Always and forever.”_

_Kace stood up, twirling the younger man around as everyone clapped and cheered._

__Yeah,_ Echo thought. _This is definitely where I belong.__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song is called "Bless the Broken Road" by Rascle Flats and it is amazing. Highly recomend listening to it if you have not before.


	83. Extra: The Balnket

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is the series complete? Yes. Is that going to stop me from adding things here and there? Hell-to-the-no!
> 
> Echo needs a blankie!

Echo glanced around the corner, eyes squinting as he looked into Kace's room. He lightly tip-toed into the room, checking behind his shoulder to make sure no one could see him. When he was sure he was in the clear, he started rummaging through Kace's room.

Kace was hiding something, Echo knew it. The older man had been sneaking around a lot more, and telling Echo that he need to play in his own room--something Kace had never really done before. So, clearly, there was something going on and Echo was going to get to the bottom of it.

After a few minutes of digging around in Kace's closet, Echo sat back on his rear with a sigh. He was going to need a change soon and Kace would be looking for him. Echo stood up and dusted off his pants. He wasn't done yet, but he didn't want to get caught.

He peaked around the corner to make sure there still wasn't anyone there, then ran to his room quickly. Leo greeted him with a meow, and Echo smiled foundry.

"Afternoon, sleepy butt." Echo ran a hand down the cat's back, getting a purr in response.

"Echo!" Kace called from down the hall. 

Echo's heart beat a little faster as he stood up. "Yeah?"

"Lunch is ready. Come downstairs please." 

Echo smiled. Food! He gave once last pat to Leo before skipping down the hall toward the back stairs.

Kace smiled as Echo raced down the stairs and popes up with a grin form ear to ear.

"You know better than to run in the house." Kace said, rustling the boy's hair.

Echo rolled his eyes and sat down at the table. He was a little bigger today and was hoping Kace would let him sit at the table instead. He laid his head down and watched as Kace sat two plates down and put a sandwich on each.

When Kace turned around and he saw Echo sitting at the table, he had to hold back an eye roll. After a few months of them doing this, he knew how Echo was. He wasn't a big fan of the high chair, but he would use it if Kace said he had to. If he was feeling even a little bit bigger than usual, though, it was a fight with tooth-and-nail. 

Today, though, Kace didn't really feel like making a fuss. Echo had been good all morning and afternoon and cleaned up all his things when asked, so maybe he deserved a break just this once.

"Don't get too used to it, bud." Kace said, setting down a plate in front of the boy.

Echo smiled triumphantly and set into his lunch of peanut butter and chips.

Afterwards, Kace had taken him back upstairs and changed him quickly. Echo didn't tend to like the changes as much when he was bigger. But the truth was, all of his control was lost the second he sunk. It was better for everyone if he was padded.

When Kace was finished, he sat Echo back down on the floor and patted his rear, earning a glare from Echo.

"Big boy!" He said loudly as he ran over to his toy shelf.

Kace smiled, watching him play for a moment before he saw Echo's overstuffed hamper. Guess it was laundry day. Kace grabbed the hamper and walked across the hall to grab his as well.

It wasn't hard to see Echo had been in there. The closet door was open and things where very out of place. Kace let out a sigh. Echo was onto him, so he couldn't blame the boy for looking, but he really need to work on his "leave no trace" part of spying.

Kace straightened up his room, then grabbed the baskets and carried both to the other side of the house.

Echo waited for Kace to leave before he slipped back into the hall. Kace had no clue! Echo must have been very good at spying! 

Echo glanced both ways down the hall before darting across and into Kace's room once more. This time he went for a trunk that held a lot of old stuff his mom had givien him.

Echo liked looking through the trunk because it housed all kind of neat Kace stuff! Old photos of Kace and Holly were Echo's favorite, because Kace still had the same smile plastered across his face, even when he was covered in mud and holding a large stick behind his back. His hair used to be lighter, but it still has the same texture, though it was longer in the old photos. More curly. 

Echo sat the pictures aside and the tin with some of Kace's old toy cars and a few other things. A large quilt was the last thing to come out, worn and frayed at the edges but with visible dancing animals still visible. Echo let out a sigh.

Whatever Kace was hiding, it wasn't here, either.

"Echo," a voice said sternly from behind the boy. 

Echo's heart jumped into his throats and his stomach feel to his feet. He turned his head around to find Kace leaning against the door jam, arms crossed and a displeased look on his face.

"I asked you to play in your own room today." Kace said, voice stern but not in anger or disgust.

Echo tried to think of a cover, but nothin. Really came to mind. Nothing would excuse this, not for him right then. "But..."

Kace pushed off the door, standing on his own once more as he pointed his finger for Echo to get out, cutting the boy's sentence.

Echo stood up and ran across the hall, back into his room where he took refuge in a corner behind his crib.

Kace soon followed, stepping into the room and crouching down to be eye to eye with Echo.

"Wanna tell me what that was about?" Kace asked seriously.

Echo shook his head no, eyes already stinging. He wasn't even getting yelled at yet!

"How about you do it anyway and I might reconsider time out." Kate suggested.

Now Echo was crying--he couldn't help it! "You s-s-said no s-secrets!"

Kace was not expecting that. "What?"

Echo whipped at his face, trying to catch the tears before they fell. "You said w-we shouldn't keep s-secrets!"

"How do this pertain to you disobeying me?" Kace asked.

"You're hiding som'fing and you wo't tell me!" Echo was to full-blown wailing at this point, words broken by full-out sobs.

Kace sighed and sat down next to Echo, wrapping an arm around the boy. "Echo, I'm sorry. It's not hidden because I didn't want to show you. It was supposed to be a surprise."

Echo looked up with red eyes and through tears. "Surprise?"

Kace nodded. "Yeah. I'm not sure how you'll like it, though."

Echo's eyes widened. "I wanna see; I wanna see!"

Kace had to hold back a laugh, hiding it behind a small smile. Tears forgotten, he thought.

"Hum, I duh know. It's not all that cool."

"Wanna see! Wanna see!" Echo was practically bouncing.

"Alright, alright," Kace sighed, standing up. "Stay here, I'll be right back."

Echo nodded and did as he was told, waiting for Kace in the same spot. When Kace came back, he was carrying and old grocery bag.

"Last minute wrapping," Kace explained as he sat down and handed the bag to Echo. The boy sat with it in his lap for a moment before Kace said, "well, go on. Open it."

Echo smiled and pushed a finger through the plastic, ripping the bag open to show...

"Blankie?" Echo asked as he pulled out the knotted ball of yarn. It was a dark blue with strips of teal and sky blue mixed in.

"My grandma taught me how to crochet a while ago. I forgot about it until mom gave me that old trunk and one of the blankets we made was in there.

"With the help of YouTube and Gracie, I managed to learn again and, I know you haven't had yours for a while, so..." Kace trailed off.

Echo hugged the blanket tightly and smiled up at Kace. "You made it?"

Kace nodded. "Yeah, I thought it would mean more than just buying a new one. Oh! And look at this!" Kace pulled on a corner of the blanket to show the head and two arms of a bear. "It looks like Clark!"

Echo squealed, hugging the blanket righted to his body and leaning his head on Kace's shoulder.

Kace couldn't help but feel like a brick was pulled of his chest. He wasn't sure if Echo would like it or it all of that had just been a waste of time. Re-teaching himself hadn't been too hard. Like riding a bike, really. He just had to get back on and everything came naturally after that. But it wasn't something they'd ever really talked about.

After Echo had thrown his old tattered blanket--affectionately names Snuggie--away, Kace had notice Echo hadn't been sleeping as well. The boy was attached, and Kace wanted to help. Keeping it a secret had been more of a thing for Kace's sake. Yarn was everywhere in his room at some points as he tried to figure out just how he was going to do everything. If Echo had walked in on that and found everything, the surprise should have been ruined.

"Do you like him?" Kace asked. He figured he knew the answer, but the whole thing about what an assumption makes stuck in the back of his head.

Echo nodded his head quickly, arms squeezing the blanket once more.

Kace smiled. Success.

Echo had dropped considerably after that, which Kace was slightly concerned about until he realized that it was just the blanket. He'd have to keep that in mind.

Getting the boy down for a nap had been much easier than thought, Echo just latching onto Kace until he was asleep. Kace laid him down, making sure the blanket was in his arms before placing a kiss on Echo's head and tip-toeing out of the room.


End file.
